Mercantile Vendor Rules & Agreement

Program basics

• The Mercantile operates inside Ryno Repair at 112 S Grove St, Blue Earth, Minnesota.
• Regular shopping, stocking, and pickup hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
• The 2026–2027 season runs from October 5, 2026 through April 30, 2027. Holiday, weather, and special-event closures will be announced by the Market.
• Any vendor may apply. Participation and product selection are subject to approval by the Blue Earth Community Market team.
• Vendors do not need to be present while shoppers browse and pay at their shelves.

Shelf space and rent

• Each vendor supplies and sets up their own shelf or display, no wider than 48 inches.
• Products, signs, cash boxes, and other display materials must remain inside the vendor's assigned footprint.
• Rent is $10 per week or $35 per month and must be paid at the beginning of the rental period.
• Payment may be made in cash to Morgan on the vendor's drop-off day or through Morgan's Venmo. Digital payment details will be provided after approval.
• Spaces are assigned first come, first served. If the office fills, the Mercantile may expand into the showroom.
• Vendors may stock, reprice, tidy, or retrieve items only during posted Mercantile hours.

Self-service sales

• Every vendor must provide at least one self-service payment method: a locked, slotted cash box, an electronic payment option such as Venmo, or both.
• The vendor's business name or logo must be clearly displayed on the shelf and on each payment method the vendor provides.
• Every product must be clearly priced. Whole-dollar prices are encouraged because no one is available to make change.
• Shoppers pay each vendor separately at that vendor's shelf. There is no combined Mercantile checkout.
• Vendors are responsible for tracking and reconciling their own cash and digital sales.

Products and shelf care

• Vendors must keep shelves stocked, clean, priced, labeled, and presentable.
• Products must show the vendor's business name so shoppers know who made or supplied them.
• All food products must be labeled with the applicable production date, such as “baked on,” “canned on,” or “prepared on.”
• Vendors are responsible for all licenses, registrations, labeling, food-safety requirements, and other laws that apply to their products.
• Broken, spoiled, recalled, or unsafe products must be removed promptly.
• All perishable products must be picked up by 4 p.m. Friday. Perishables left after that deadline may be discarded, and the vendor will owe Morgan a $10 disposal fee.

Loss, security, and abandoned property

• Security cameras are available in the space, but self-service selling carries a risk of missing, misplaced, damaged, or unpaid merchandise.
• Blue Earth Community Market, Morgan, and Ryno Repair are not responsible for lost, stolen, damaged, or unpaid vendor merchandise or for the contents of a vendor's cash box.
• Vendors should report suspected theft or other problems to Morgan. Camera footage may be reviewed as a courtesy when available.
• If a vendor stops communicating, fails to pay, and does not retrieve their shelf, merchandise, or other property, the items will be held for two weeks.
• After two weeks, unclaimed property may be donated or discarded at the Market team's discretion.

Community standards

• Treat shoppers, participating vendors, Ryno Repair staff, and Market organizers with respect.
• Keep products and displays family-friendly. Smoking is not permitted on the property.
• Political campaigning, candidate appearances, political party displays, petitioning, and political campaign merchandise are not permitted.
• The Blue Earth Community Market team may deny an application or end a vendor's participation when products, conduct, nonpayment, or failure to follow these rules is not a good fit for the Mercantile.

Digital signature

Sign the vendor agreement