Great place, great vibe and great people. This is a hidden gem in Helena. They’ve an amazing collection of creative candy and gifts. You can definitely feel the vibe as soon as you get inside. I highly recommend this place.

One of my absolute favorite places in Helena! I go there every time Im downtown. They make the best coffee and tea! The staff is always friendly and welcoming. They have an awesome selection of gifts, candy tea, and novelty items. If you have kids under 12 they can climb up into the tree house in the top of the store and they have a little pond with 2 huge koi fish that even though theyre fish, seem happy to have you there. They will swimmright up to the surface of the water and poke their heads out to say hi. I love all the little hole in the wall booths and tables so you can find a cozy place to sit and sip your drink and play a game of cards with a friend. Definitely one of the best parts of downtown!

Fun spot to shop, tables and cubbies in various spots with more privacy. No Wi-Fi. Great coffee.

Friendly staff, unique atmosphere and merchandise. A great place to stop and shop for gifts while grabbing a great tasting cup of coffee. Whether its their selection of teas, soaps, or doodads, or even their Front Street Market selection of salsas and other jarred goods, theyve got something for everyone. And youre sure to find something to have a chuckle at while meandering through.

My wife and I make a point to get our coffee from here every time we are in Helena. Great place to pick up gifts. I just wish they had better MT stickers. My son, nieces and nephews love coming here. Reminds me of the penny store I used to go to on the walking mall as a child. Their coffee is fantastic. Paid Parking is their down point but worth it.

Helenas one, only, multifunctional, multi-dimensional hip coffee shop. Tons of doodads, cards and fun gifts make for a great browsing experience. The coffee is stellar, made from a hand press espresso machine. Say hello to the huge carp swimming in the small pool. It must be decades old.

What was once a local staple and a part of Helenas history has now become a haven for gentrification and progressive politics. Some of the quirky novelty items have been retained, which is good, although now they are mainly political instead of just being fun. They made the choice to remove the original front booths and put in a standing table, which looks worse and probably seats less people. Id visit it again, but only because the coffee and atmosphere is still great. Its changed in a lot of ways and its not better off for it. Change isnt always a good thing, especially for a place where a timeless theme is the whole point.

What a cute little cafe! It is a must visit if you are in Helena, and the ambience of the place is great. They have fantastic coffee and had a really nice collection of little gifts and very nice knick-knacks for a relatively good price.

Delicious chai! Such a fun store, you could shop for hours. Incredible retro candy selection!

I consider myself somewhat of a coffee tourist. Ive been around all the biggest cities in search of the best coffee I can find. This often done through tedious investigation by interviewing multiple locals, looking at online reviews and going to the locations.General mercantile is hands down one of the best coffee shops Ive ever been to. And ive been to hundreds. I order black Americanos as I feel this is the truest barometer in determining coffee quality. The ambiance is comfy, and there are hundreds of cool trinkets and toys to see in the shop. 5 stars from me

Nice inventory of coffees and chocolates.I got some nice stickers and postcards.Its in old Helena, MT

Really nice place. I had a nice latte with oat milk. Team friendly and big smiles everywhere. A lot of stuff to buy inside and old photographies.

Coffee and Italian soda was on point, so was the general atmosphere, merch, and little tree house area for kids.Got weird when a self-described teenager with a full tank of gas and a lot of time talked loudly about bullying someone in her car by tailgating and being aggressive to the barista.Otherwise a great place.

Loved the ambiance and since 1971 coffee and goodies. Bought some socks ...recommended for nice folks and a different side of Helena.

This place is magical. Need some witty magnets? How about some nostalgic candy? An espresso drink from a super cool lever machine? Well, the Merc has you covered. Customer service is top notch and the owners are pretty cool to boot. Plus, they understand when it’s necessary to take a month off and take care of themselves and their space. Helena is lucky to have a place like this.

Warm, hometown feel with plenty of nostalgic merchandise to look at while you wait for your individually made coffee.... If you want to know what Helena is all about, this is your place.

It is closed for the month of January. Cant really rate the place without being able to visit. Just letting others know the business is closed for the month of January 2021, as the website states regular business hours.Your business was highly recommended to visit while we were in Helena. We are sorry we missed experiencing your establishment. Stay safe.

Absolutely the best coffee in town hand down, a very lovely cute place to go to. I love the set up, the look of it, the vibe, it’s a very magical little nook. Would recommend!

Wanted to get coffee, but was honestly so turned off by the blatant liberal political/anti-Christian vibe that I left. I honestly believe in freedom of speech and am happy to listen to anyones opinion but felt like if anyone was a Christian or conservative, they would not be welcome here. Im sure the shop isnt interested in those peoples business anyways. Cute location and shop, but wouldnt stop here again.

Eclectic. Great staff. Good coffee/tea!

Fun store. For all ages

Cute little store with everything you need on your way to Yellowstone.

Such an adorable store! The tea lattes are divine.

This is a neat little store with some interesting trinkets and candies. We stopped in to kill time with the kids, browse their wares, and pick out candies. I have to say its pretty obvious where the management/ownerships political affiliations lie. Thats very disappointing for a business in my opinion. If all your merchandise has a very obvious political bent in a singular direction youre doing it wrong. I dont mind their having an opinion. Thats what makes America great. But flaunting that through your merchandising is only going to disenfranchise a potential customer base.Much of the merchandise here is amusing. Its sort of like a less adult version of Spencers... except very political.

I want to be able to thumbs up the Mercs response to Beckys one star review which clearly stated shes never been.The Merc is the best coffee shop in Helena. Hands down. Being closed for (ONLY) a month is incredible and would still happily rate a 5 even if the hours were erratic (which they arent). The coffee is amazing, Ive always been treated well, and there is plenty to look at an entertain yourself while waiting for your drink.So excited for someday in the future when we can sit and sip coffee inside.

Best coffee in Helena. Fun atmosphere.

On a recommendation I came in to get a coffee. Im glad I did, probably one of the best cups of coffee Ive ever had.

A place that claims to be a NO HATE business sure shows a lot of HATE towards our President and anyone who follows the LAW in regards to illegals being allowed to just walk over here. So many items of hate to choose from. So if you want to spend your money in a store that degrades our President and wants everyone who wants immigration to be deported as their merchandise states is welcome. Otherwise if you love America and feel a business should not sell merchandise degrading our President and calling others names for wanting the law to be followed should not spend your dollars here. Also please note, no illegals, blacks or muslims are hired by this store. Why is that? Racist? I contacted store and was told my facebook was fake and they dont plan to take down their hate merchandise and I should have a good day.

One of my favorite places in town.

Love this spot. So cozy, amazing coffee, and great gifts.

Good coffee, lots of fun stuff to buy! Cool koi pond!

Nice little coffee shop. Loved the little nooks. Coffee was decent, hot chocolate pretty good. One small bathroom hidden behind a door.

Cool shop with lots of little gifts, pretty good coffee, and the employees are always great

Their coffee is excellent and the shop is fun to wander around. Definitely worth a visit (or five) if in Helena.

Way to expensive!!! And very political!!! Not very family oriented.

What a fun store! Staff was great and the coffee was awesome! I bought a ton of fun stocking stuffers!

Very cool place!! Chai tea wasnt my favorite, but they dont have almond milk like Im used to, just soy and coconut. Atmosphere was so fun- I hope to go back

Theres a really nice selection of locally made teas here, both prepackaged and by the ounce. Also a large amount of local preserves, jams and sauces to choose from. The interior is decorated in a rustic style, fitting for downtown Helena.

Love the Montana made gifts and canned salsas

What a quaint place nestled in downtown Helena. The interior has been artfully modeled as an intimate neighborhood Market. The intrigue of all the candy and cute things displayed, is irresistible to adult and child alike. Coffee and yummy hot chocolate are sold there. There are hidden nocks and crannies for an isolated morning paper read or computer work. Obviously, the patrons consider the Mercantile to be a special gathering place for oneself or with their friends. The hostess/worker was very readily available for taking our order and making look delicious our drinks. She was friendly and openly happy and smiley.

Best coffee in town, among many other reasons to visit! Great place for greeting cards, stickers, knick nacks and gifts

Please come back.Seriously, its been a month of firetower and its inability to produce an acceptable blank and white.

Beautiful shop, unique gifts and the most friendly service. We will be back again and again. Thank you for what you bring to Helena!

Quaint place with awesome gifts, but no WiFi!

Best espresso in Helena, great people, and so many cute and funny things to buy.

This is my go-to place for gifts—the perfect place to find something to let others know you’re thinking of them. It’s also such a cool space. I feel like I’m always exploring when I’m in there.

Really neat store. Love to visit this place. Great selection and a nice coffee shop.

How Ive lived in Helena for the last five years and never submitted upon this little local gem is beyond me, and honestly a great tragedy.This pace is amazing - the staff was insurable friendly, the coffee I had was perfect, and the selection of cool and unique merchandise had us browsing far longer than we expected. Definitely worth the trip downtown!

Great local business!

This shop is awesome!! SUCH a cool, funky atmosphere with all kinds of hidden treasures. They have booths and stalls tucked in any which way all throughout the store, so youll be walking around examining all of the fun merchandise and then just happen across a booth tucked in amongst the shelves. There is a mini koi pond in the middle of the store which seems like it wouldnt fit with the theme of the shop, but it totally does! We came in just to look around so I cant speak to their drink or food quality, but if it is anything like the shop itself, itll be top notch!

Great little store full of gifts. Great hidden seating areas in this lovely building to sit and enjoy your drinks. Coffee was great, really liked the unusual options! Good service. Would return if back in Helena!

My daughter and I had fun browsing the store. I even got a little stocking stuffer for her without her realizing it. Got some great items for family that live in Utah.

It was good. A bit stuffy inside. They need more open space. Dont go if you get claustrophobic.

Very pleasant atmosphere. Friendly staff

Ok, 5 stars because their caramel mocha is the absolute best! (Though probably contains the most sugar and calories, lol.) The atmosphere is awesome, but not if harsh language offends you. The products the sell have a lot of swear words on them and they are not house from view.

Fantastic atmosphere. Lots of goofy things to look at and buy. The coffee is good, too. Definitely worth a stop if youre in Helena.

This was my first visit to the Mercantile. The beverages were tasty enough, but what I truly enjoyed was the atmosphere. My friend and I were able to seat ourselves in a cozy nook near a fountain stocked with Koi. The peaceful atmosphere contributed much to a great conversation. We laughed together over some of the unusual products sold here, and were impressed by the large assortment of truly lovely quality gift items that are offered. Ill be back!

The merc was amazing as always. They have some of the best coffee and tea in town. If you are looking for a gift that is just a little different, or retro this is the place to go. You can spend hours here and never be bored!!

A little on the woke & regressive side, but everything was really good here otherwise.

This is a great place to find gifts, candy, coffee, teas, and more. They offer a very unique selection of all of the above.

Used to like this place a lot. It still has a ton of cool things but went too political. At least be centric and not leaning to one side.

Its like stepping back in time. Cool place with lots of merchandise and they serve drinks like tea and hot chocolate.

Great selection of collectibles and gifts, also a great spot for coffee, tea and muffins! A wonderful stop for tourists.

I fell in love with this store/coffee shop. Mine & my husbands lattes were two of the best weve had & the barrister was a sweetheart. The fish are an awesome addition & I had fun picking out some teas & birthday gifts while we were there. We will be making the Mercantile one of our first stops when we visit Helena!

Best coffee in Helena! The decor is amazing. The customer service is the best, everyone was friendly. Loved the old salon style interior. Must stop in if youre in town!

Neat place to get a cup of coffee and and have a conversation with a friend. There are booths in nooks scattered throughout the store. In addition they have unusual and interesting items for sale.

Short House Special. The coffee to cure what ails you. Seriously. Order one. The atmosphere & community built into this legendary coffee shop has no rivals. The Best. Plain & simple.

As someone who has called Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN home the moment I stepped into this establishment all the feels came rushing in. A damn good cup of coffee as well as the rest of the beverage menu, but its the staff that makes this place stellar. Looking forward to the holidays and doing most of my shopping here while sipping a great (and affordable) original machiato -- its both an attraction every guest to Helena must experience, and a place Im happy to call home. Cheers!

This place is absolutely amazing the atmosphere is cozy and comfortable, the teas are delicious and there are a ton of hidden places to sit

I sold jewelry here when I was in high school. It just keeps evolving with the times. New owners are adding some flair of their own to the great coffee drinks and teas from all over the world that can be drunk in rustic nooks. I dare you to find them all on a first visit, or to not leave with great cards or chocolate to share. with others. This is just the tip of the mountain of wacky candies and vintage games you find here.

Unique coffee shop with quirky fun gifts (including made in MT) and its a very charming shop. You can even find private little rooms to study or chat with friends. They have delicious coffee and a wide selection of teas.

Funky. Eclectic. Perfect place to get a chai and browse - or tuck into a a cozy booth for quiet conversation.

Used to be my favorite coffee shop. My kids grew up visiting Rays Place. I go in there now and the college aged girls working dont even notice Im there to take my order. I guess I have to be a younger male in order for them to acknowledge my presence. Completely disappointing. After several trips of experiencing this Ive decided to just stop going.😔

Such a great little coffee shop/store in Helena. The drinks are tasty, and the items for sale are fun and unusual. Instead of the standard coffee shop seating, there are several little nooks and crannies. It makes it a little tough to figure out if theres room, but once you find a seat, its a cozy environment - perfect for lingering or chatting with friends. Theres even a little koi pond with a couple of fish.

BEST COFFEE HOUSE IN HELENA! It has the great barn-like cubbies for when you want to drink coffee and do some computer work. The have also have a candy store and unique gifts. If you are visiting Helena, you need to stop. This is one of my favorite coffee houses. You have to see it in person to appreciate the decor.

Quaint little coffee shop with beautiful old woodwork. Relaxing atmosphere, service is wonderful and the coffee is delicious. Love how the tables are tucked into the architecture, with a cute little koy pond and even the bathroom has an old world feel to it.

Amazing store. Great place to find gifts or just sit and have some coffee. 👍👍👍👍👍

The best coffee drinks in town, cute and unique gifts, and always awesome service. I recommend the Merc to everyone I know

My husband is from here in Helena, and introduced me to the Merc on a trip visiting family. Him and his friends grew up spending time here at the Merc, and i can see why. The drinks are delicious, the whole esthetic is unique, and the gifts are hilarious! We make sure to stop by whenever we are in town!

Unique atmosphere! Great place to find a back corner and get away for a whole. Unique gifts and classic toys and prank gifts. Definitely a must stop downtown!

This location has some very good tea. I also liked the General atmosphere. In addition to the drinks, it sells a wide range of odd and interesting items.

Love this quirky place. Grab a book from down the street and have a cup in one of their cute front porch style rooms.

Lots of fun stuff. Candy and good tea.

Lots of merchandise for everybody and its inexpensive. Cute store.

The service is always very slow but I enjoy the drinks

Mercantile describes this place very well! A large variety of items for sale. Lots of quirky items and knick-nacks. They sell tea in bulk, and serve hot drinks as well. Great places to get little gifts. The only issue is the young staff tend to spend more time chatting to each other rather than preparing a drink, or checking out a customer.

Delightful and curious place to with quiet corners to drink coffee and chat. Fun gifts, cards and candies.

What a fun place! I loved the little tucked-away booths, the walls of quirky post cards and greeting cards .. and the TREEHOUSE!I had a chocolaty variation on a London Fog latte, and it was delicious.

Cute shop for anyone who wants to buy quirky/edgy/funny souvenirs!

What a fun shop! Lots of different odds and ends to make your day. Our coffees were delicious too!

I went with a friend to catch up. I didnt like the drink that i ordered though it was prepared well. The drink was an eggnog latte and didnt fit my tastes.The enviroment there is very laid back and welcoming. The areas for sitting offer solitude for study or conversation.I would have given 5 stars but was mildly annoyed at the time it took to pay and the tightness of the area where people have to que up to the register.I would recommend highly and will return

This place is so fun and comfy. I love coming here. Makes me feel like I am on vacation.

Such unique old school goodies! If you havent been there, please go, you will love looking at everything. No I dont know the owners, lol

AMAZING coffee. I think my favorite there is their chai tea latte. Its a fun store to wander around and a cozy place to meet friends or a date.

Really cool spot, with plenty of old school, kitschy toys and items to shop from with an amazing barista who makes everything fresh. Really enjoyed the chai!

It was crazy in here. To be fair, 2 days before christmas. Awesome feel, neighbourly atmosphere and many many items both familiar and less than such. The glass counter top holds a plethora of chocolate and just a quick turn up the road there is a fully functioning koi pond with one of them giant goldfish.There are silly trinkets, drinkers accessories - of the alcoholic and non-alcoholic variety - and an insane collection of punchy cards.Every little nook held a smattering of people discussing politics, personal growth or philosophy. Wonderful place.

Quirky store with great trinkets for gifts. Coffee is very good.

Amazing coffee and a unique but welcoming environment. One of Helenas great spots for sure.

Cute gifts, great coffee & staff. Come here to enjoy a drink with a friend - don’t be surprised if there’s no room to sit at the counter.

Best place in Montana