Our Mission and Vision

Mercantile dreams are built on the idea of having a store where one can sell things they love and interact with people in their community.  At Harvey Oak Mercantile, it is our goal to make these dreams a reality.  This lifestyle specialty shop provides access to unique, well-designed merchandise for everyday living and gifting. Our carefully-curated products are sourced from both near and far.  We are committed to showcasing our local talent, emerging makers, and respected brands in an effort to inspire our passionate community of customers.

Harvey Oak Mercantile (H.O.M.) is a destination for timeless, casual clothing, unique gifts, hand crafted jewelry and accessories, natural and organic beauty, plus one of a kind and limited edition local art. It is our goal to seek out incredible design that is responsibly sourced.

We prioritize creativity, connecting and personalized service. Our doors are open to shop, be inspired and have moments of connection and enjoyment with friends and neighbors.

What people are saying

"Lovely welcoming shop with a wonderful range of primarily locally made clothing, jewelry candles and so much more! Always something new to try on. The owner is knowledgeable and accommodating to your needs. A fun shop to explore, you are bound to find something that you will love!"

"Plenty of unique gifts and hand crafted jewelry here!" 

"Delightful collections of interesting and desirable things. I love coming in here to see what's new."

"H.O.M. has great finds crafted by local makers, gifting items and an adorable DIY terrarium station. A fun place to shop for all! Will definitely be coming back for more lovely pieces."

"Fabulous place for kids gifts and even grown ups. Pillar of the town shopping district."

"Beautiful store!!! Makes it hard to leave. Nice variety of merchandise."

"The BEST place to get gifts, hands down."

Our location and Story behind our name

Harvey Oak Mercantile is located in downtown Swarthmore, PA. Incorporated in 1893, Swarthmore is a walkable community with tree lined streets, distinctive homes, interesting gardens, and a charming downtown. The downtown shopping district, nicknamed “The Ville”, features unique and independently owned shops, a variety of eateries, and a collection of personalized services. An active arts and music scene enhances the vibrancy of the town center, and civic groups and small town traditions contribute to the town character. SEPTA train service is located in the center of town, making Center City Philadelphia easily accessible to residents and visitors.

Life in Swarthmore is the muse for our shop and inspired the name. Harvey Oak is derived from combining two street names in town— Harvard Avenue and Mt. Holyoke. Mercantile is added to cover all of the treasures you will find here. For short, we like to go by Harvey Oak, but other nicknames always welcome! We just hope you join us to shop, create, and connect!

Get to Know Us

Shannon Elliott has been on the search for unique products for major brands since 1998. In 2001, she moved back home to Philadelphia and spent the next 15 years buying product, merchandising catalogs and websites and developing marketing plans for Anthropologie. She has traveled to over a dozen cities around the world sourcing unique designs and meeting numerous, talented artisans.  

Shannon has called Swarthmore, PA home since 2010 and is constantly inspired by her surroundings and her community.  She has a loving and supportive husband named Brent and two amazing children named Lucas and Kylie, who share her passion for Swarthmore and the hunt for new discoveries. 

Supporting the surrounding community is important to Shannon and her family. Shannon has served as a Board Member of Swarthmore Town Center, where she has supported fellow business owners and help plan town wide events like Home for the Holidays, Summer Street Stroll, Night Market and is co-organizer and curator of the Swarthmore Makers Market. Shannon is part of the beloved Swarthmore Farmers Market team.

Giving back extends beyond her time. Harvey Oak Mercantile donates each year to local organizations thru direct donations, shopping fundraisers, and raffle prize donations. The more Harvey Oak Mercantile can give back, the stronger the connection to the community can be.

Thank you to all of our customers for your support!