Mercantile’s restaurant ribbon-cutting event draws crowd

Photo | Alexander MacDougall The ribbon-cutting for the second floor of the Mercantile restauraunt.

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By Alexander MacDougall

The Mercantile restaurant saw plenty of glitz and glamor as it debuted its second-floor rooftop deck and bar on Thursday, in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the downtown restaurant’s expansion.

The ceremony was led by Joey Arcari, president of the Broadway Hospitality Group of Boston, which runs the Mercantile restaurant.

“We’re all very happy you guys came here tonight,” said Arcari, speaking to a packed crowd that included business and political leaders in the city. “I’d like to thank the city of Worcester. You’ve been a great city to work with, so progressive and supportive of businesses, and we’re really thankful and proud to be here.”

Large tables aligned with oysters, shrimp, and charcuterie plates were on display at the 12,000-square-foot restaurant. In attendance included Hanover Theatre President & CEO Troy Siebels, Chip Norton, president of Franklin Realty Advisors, the owner of the restaurant's building, and outgoing City Manager Edward Augustus.

“It really adds a Boston vibe to Worcester,” said Norton on the new roofdeck expansion. “There’s nothing like this before in the town.”

The opening of the Mercantile’s second floor marks another step in the development of Worcester’s downtown. As Worcester’s population increases and rent prices climb, greater demands for housing and commercial development have property developers from the Boston area looking to claim a stake in the city.

Located in downtown, near city hall, the 650,000 square feet that make up the Mercantile Center has further plans for development for dining and entertainment venues, including a new Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

The hopes of an invigorated nightlife scene in the Mercantile Center coincides with Norton's development plans to build a 150-apartment building, along with an additional 125-room hotel downtown, the details of which were first announced back in March.

Norton said he hopes the installation of the new restaurants will help attract additional deals for remaining spaces in the center.

“We got 20,000 feet at the other end of commercial street, and then we have the old Foothills Theatre, which is underground,” he said. “When you get the lead tenants like these kinds of restaurants, the hope is that will stimulate the next round of what else goes here.”