Meet Lori and Brian Reynolds | Owners of The Grove Mercantile

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lori and Brian Reynolds and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lori and Brian, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Since 2005, Lori had always dreamed of having her own brick and mortar store, but a few factors got in the way of pursuing that dream such as needing to put her master’s degree in Psychology to use (after all, that is what she went school for), a pregnancy, a recession, and a few more subsequent pregnancies. Life just got busy and it never seemed like it was a “good time.” Having her own private practice in mental health for 14 years scratched the itch a bit, but the desire for a store would bubble up quite routinely. Around this time, Lori and Brian bought a vacation home in Groveland, CA. It was a peaceful escape from the congestion, intense careers, and bustle of Los Angeles. They were captivated by the trees, serenity, wildlife, and beauty of Yosemite’s backyard. 2020 gave people a lot of time to ponder their purpose, dreams, and priorities. With lots of discussion, planning, number crunching, and prayer, the dream of a store went from concept to reality in 18 months. After spending almost 2 years in Groveland, they really felt this charming Hallmark-movie-of-a-town needed a homemade ice cream shop where families, kids, grandparents, and tourists on vacation could enjoy insanely delicious homemade ice cream. They decided to do a hybrid model of a gift shop and microcreamery (you know, like a microbrewery but with ice cream instead of beer). Brian studied how to make ice cream via all the podcasts he could find on Google University. Eventually, they came to the crossroads where you have make a decision to either “keep talking about it” or “do it.” They decided, “Let’s do it!!”

What should our readers know about your business?
The Grove Mercantile is modern mercantile aimed at “something for everyone – at a price point for everyone.” Very rarely does somebody not find something in our shop that they fall in love with. A sign above our kitchen says “The Secret Ingredient is Love,” and we think that is true for how much heart and soul we put into what we curate for the gift shop, the quality of our ice cream, and our intentions/attitude for the day. Honestly, there are two things we are most proud of, the first being we are so dang happy with how phenomenal the ice cream has turned out and how well received it has been from people. Yosemite attracts visitors from all over the world, and we have been blown away by the feedback we hear from our guests. The second thing we are proud of is how much community support we have. Our business model was to serve joy and happiness while being a safe place for people to feel welcomed, seen, and valued.

Business-wise, we both brought elements of our 20+ year careers to the table such as psychology, leadership, work ethic, drive, and attention to detail. The past year of business has been a “both and” experience. It’s been both exciting and scary, thrilling and exhausting, rewarding and demanding. To overcome our challenges, we pray (first and foremost), plan, communicate, come together as a team, ask for help (big shout out to my Mom here), and collaborate with other business owners.

Some lessons we have learned along the way are:
– You can’t pour from an empty cup, self care is important
– The best commodity you have is YOU
– Plan for a larger storage room than you think you’ll need
– Rising tides raise all ships
– Buy the bigger ice cream machine from the beginning

We would love at the end the day for the world to equate their experience with us as a memorable one filled with joy and happiness, and equate our brand with quality and attention to detail.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The perfect week in Groveland:

Day 1: Explore quaint and historic downtown Groveland and see the buildings and many darling shops along Main Street. Stop by the Iron Door and learn about it’s history while enjoying a hamburger and sweet potato fries. Catch a sunset scenic aerial tour by Yosemite Flights, followed by dinner at Charlotte’s Tavern (may I suggest the fried chicken and mashed potatoes or homemade chicken pot pie).

Day 2: Book an adventure-trip through Echo Cooperative, such as flying fishing or guided night hikes to stargaze with the masters via hammock chairs. Grab dinner at Cocina Michoacán or charcuterie platter and bourbon at The Groveland Hotel.

Day 3: Lazy morning followed by a hike to Carlon Falls to soak your hot feet in the chilly water as you take in the sites and sounds from the roaring waterfall. Stop by Rush Creek Lodge for a 1:1 Glass Blowing class with the infamous Maggie Bean. Take in the gorgeous sunset colors fireside with a cocktail from the bar.

Day 4: Grab a latte at Mountain Sage or Firefall Coffee as you head up to Yosemite to hike Lower Yosemite Falls (for an easy hike) or Vernal Falls (for the adventure seeker), pack a picnic lunch with sandwiches from Kevin & Randi’s meat market to enjoy on the lawn at the Ahwahnee Hotel, snap a pic of Half Dome, enjoy small bites and delicious beer at Around the Horn Microbrewery with a little family fun cornhole competition.

Day 5: Soothe those achey muscles with a relaxing massage from Brightfire Wellness or a dreamy facial from Bare Skin Esthetics. Head to The Grove Mercantile afterwards for some delicious homemade ice cream (such as Blood Orange Chip, Coffee Toffee Crunch, or any of the 10 other amazing flavors). Grab some souvenirs for family and friends such as a Groveland hoodie, Yosemite ball cap, local honey, or wildlife stuffie.

Day 6: After breakfast at Tangled Hearts, Ray from Sierra Mac will take us on an adventure of a lifetime to see spectacular scenery on the Tuolumne River on a Class IV whitewater rafting trip through gold country. After a thrilling and long day, we will cozy up fireside to warm our toes and roast s’mores while star gazing.

Day 7: Take an afternoon siesta lakeside at Pine Mountain Lake after a morning paddle board or kayak sesh (or enjoy one of Pine Mountain Lakes many amenities such as equestrian riding, archery, shooting range, golf, Pickleball, tennis, fishing, etc). Rent some e-bikes from The Trail Less Traveled, and say hi to John Muir while you are there.

Website: Www.thegrovemercantile.com

Instagram: @thegrovemercantile

Facebook: TheGroveMercantile

Yelp: The Grove Mercantile

Other: Google Business: The Grove Mercantile

Image Credits
Marc Howard Photo