A new shop has quietly opened in the Oley Valley.
The Wedding Mercantile & Fine Gifts held a soft opening in October and officially opened in November 2015.
“Oley is a neat little town. [The shop] is something different, to my knowledge, to offer to surrounding communities,” said Gary Dierolf, store owner. He referred to the store as a “two-parter,” featuring wedding-themed items and general gift ideas.
Dierolf has served as a pastor for many years and has been a resident of the Oley Valley his whole life. To “keep things moving,” he decided to open The Wedding Mercantile & Fine Gifts.
As a pastor, he has been performing several weddings each year. He started offering couples candles, and then decided to expand on the idea of offerings. Following a sit-down with other pastors, Dierolf thought this could be something to offer couples – “a one-stop shop.”
“We give you all of the ideas,” he said. “We’re much more than a gift shop.”
Working with the top three wedding accessory dealers in the county, he says he has also put feelers out in Lancaster County. He doesn’t know of any other places in Berks County which offer quality Amish-made pieces.
“I’m learning stuff every day; it’s nothing what I expected. I’m really going out of left field here,” he said. “The ceremony is my niche.” His favorite theme is the love-lock ceremony.
Located on a property owned by himself and his parents, Dierolf says he doesn’t mind the shopping or picking out all the pieces by himself. “I could go all day,” he said.
Candles, glass tiers, locks, a grandfather clock and other home decor are among items available at the shop.
“Over the last 10 years – the wedding industry has changed. The younger generations are thinking out-of-the-box.” And he’s making every effort to meet the new demands.
Dierolf says he attends many bridal shows, still performs weddings, and can “take off the pastor hat” when needed. He plans to host an open hour at his shop in the fall.
Hours are Thursdays, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 484-793-1978 visit <www.weddingmercantile.com> for more information. The shop is located at 2 Scholl Drive, Oley.
