Fitness businesses open in old Park Merc building

The former Park Mercantile building opened for business last week after about two decades of being nothing more than storage for an antique dealer.

The JIM, the Yoga Hive and Hellroaring Crossfit all welcomed customers. All of the businesses are fitness facilities. Developer and building owner Mick Ruis renovated the building, dividing it into three separate units, which are leased, in turn, to the fitness facilities. The JIM is owned by O’Brien Byrd, his wife Melanie and partner Kaitlyn Sleichter. Mollie Busby owns the Yoga Hive and Gabe Murphy owns Hellroaring Crossfit.

The Mercantile at one point was a grocery store run by EJ Marantette and his son, Jim, but the building was last the home of Pony Circus Antiques. The owner rarely had the store open an simply used it as storage for about 20 years, until Ruis bought it.

Ruis has several other projects on tap. He’s building another new building on a vacant lot between the Merc and the Columbia Bar.

That will house eight apartments on top and retail on the lower level.

Last fall he had the old Davall Building torn down and is working on plans with a similar theme — housing on the upper floors and retail on the lower floors.

Ruis has also renovated the former Kaplan Law offices and physical therapist Dulcie Berube has opened shop there.

Eventually, Ruis said he’d also like to put a restaurant where the former First Citizens Bank is located.

The Yoga Hive didn’t move far — it used to be across the street in the old Nord Building. That space will soon be a medical marijuana dispensary.