CANTON − Everything from homemade jam to sub sauce will soon be available alongside grab-and-go food and a selection of wine and beer at the Mills Historic Tower.
The Canton Marketplace is scheduled to open July 11 on the first floor of the 14-story building, which was constructed in 1924 as the First National Bank Building. Marketplace hours will be 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
The northeastern room with a direct entrance off Market Avenue S features a high, Italian Renaissance revival painted ceiling. The bar, now dubbed McKinley’s Tavern, features custom woodwork installed by the former tenants — The 19th Hole.
Laura Mills, co-owner of the building and managing partner at the Mills, Mills, Fiely & Lucas law firm on the upper floor, said the marketplace was a previous idea she decided to pursue once the virtual golf and restaurant closed in March. There was an instant and immense response to her social media post seeking vendors about two months ago.
“It’s all really come together, and I think the reason it’s come together so well is because people really want this,” she said.
GrazeMe Catering Co., founded by Jennifer Boose in March 2023, will offer grab-and-go lunches and happy hour specials prepared in the Marketplace’s kitchen. Boose connected with Mills at the end of May and their partnership evolved to Boose taking on the role of Marketplace coordinator.
“I already knew so many local business owners just from doing farmers markets and various shows with GrazeMe, I knew exactly who to contact,” she said in an email. “Once I got them in to tour the Marketplace, it pretty much sold itself. The building is absolutely gorgeous, filled with history. They could tell, like myself, something special is going to happen there.”
GrazeMe specializes in charcuterie tables for events and also offers Graze boxes, which Boose described as “adult lunchables,” and a menu of fresh-made dips, salads and sandwiches.
“To say I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity would be an understatement,” Boose said, adding that she’s eager to get to know customers.
While the focus is on pre-packaged or take-away food, there is an outdoor patio for dining and seating around the bar. Mills said the business also will participate in the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) so that customers can carry out alcoholic drinks.
“We hope to get most of the lunch crowd that want a quick turnaround, and then we’re going to also have the happy hour specials,” she said.
McKinley’s Tavern will primarily serve beer and wine, complementing The Canton Club Vault that Mills’ son, Samuel, opened on a lower level about nine months ago. The remodeled bank vault, which is open from 5 to 10 p.m. weekdays and until midnight on Saturdays, specializes in craft cocktails and hosts tasting events.
The Canton Marketplace vendors will include:
Mills said she might add more vendors in the future, but now her and Boose’s focus is on classes and events, such as cookie decorating and pilates, in the room that overlooks the Marketplace. Mills will have a marketing company share a weekly newsletter about upcoming events.
She also plans to showcase artists or have a monthly art booth and offer the Marketplace as a rentable venue. The space is already reserved for a high school reunion in August.
“So that’ll be kind of the third area we market after we get everything else running the way it should,” Mills said.
Free parking, marked with signs for the Marketplace, will be available after 4 p.m. at two gated lots nearby. On-street parking also is free after 4 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends.
Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Mills Historic Tower adds Canton Marketplace featuring food and artisan vendors
Reporting by Kelly Byer, Canton Repository / The Repository
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