
04/03/2025
Downtown Bremerton needs a little extra love right now.
If you’ve tried to visit The Bremerton Mercantile or Cups Espresso & Café or other nearby businesses like Ballast Books, Bigfoot Records, or Gastro Pup lately, you’ve probably seen the orange fences, detours, and construction chaos. The transformation of Quincy Square is underway—and while we KNOW this will be a beautiful, vibrant hub for our community for a long time to come when it’s done, right now it’s hard. Really hard. We are not large corporations with deep pockets who can weather nearly a 1/2 year of big construction.
The Bremerton Mercantile (open 7 days a week on 4th & Pacific) is surrounded by construction on all sides. From a distance, it looks like we’re closed—but we’re not. We’re here, open, staffed, and doing everything we can to keep our doors open and our employees working. The only way in right now is by foot, coming from the north side of Pacific Avenue or long a smallll path on 4th—but we promise, it’s worth the detour.
We’re not asking for sympathy—we’re asking for community. For connection. For the same kind of beautiful support you’ve always shown to small businesses here in Kitsap.
Our family owns both The Bremerton Mercantile and Cups Espresso & Café, located directly across the street from one another. Just a few years ago, those were dead, vacant spaces. We’re proud to also own Scoops & Bites (where we make our own ice cream daily!) and Harborside Market at the ferry terminal. We’ve poured our hearts into these businesses because we believe in downtown Bremerton and its future. And we’re doing everything we can to keep our employees’ hours steady during this difficult construction period.
This Friday is Art Walk. The skies are supposed to be clear, and parking is free at the Washington Garage (across from the Marriott) after 5 PM. Cups and The Mercantile are both open until 8 PM—and we would love to see you.
At Cups, we’re featuring gorgeous watercolor art by local talent Kristen Franzen-Tiffany.
At The Bremerton Mercantile, you’ll find 40 flavors of saltwater taffy, local art, home goods, unique gifts, kitchen items, small-batch snacks, apparel, stuffed animals, and more—lots made or curated by local makers and creatives.
We believe in this downtown.
We believe in what Quincy Square is becoming.
We believe in showing up for each other.
Please walk in, shop local, and help us maintain our staff’s hours while we navigate the growing pains of progress.
And if you’re headed to Dog Days Brewing, Axe & Arrow, the Roxy Theatre, Ballast Book Co, Gastro Pup, Grumble & Wine, or the Kitsap Art Museum—thank you for supporting them too.
We’re all in this together.
Sidewalks are open.
Businesses are open.
2 hour parking is in the 4th & Washington Garage (and its free after 5pm)
Let’s fill these streets with life this Friday.
If you’ve never come to a First Friday Art Walk before, make this your first and make an evening of it!
Greater Kitsap Chamber Downtown Bremerton Cups Espresso & Cafes Scoops & Bites Ballast Book Company Bremerton First Friday Art Walk