Meet Tony and Jamie Bates. The faces behind the creation of Mercantile Markets. In December 2024, Tony and Jamie attended an auction in Alexandria and immediately fell in love with the adorable, historical town. They loved the neat little community, the old store buildings, and the feeling of taking a walk back in time. At that moment, they knew they could not leave the architectural beauties to continue falling in and being unused. With Watertown being a thriving community just 10 minutes away, they knew that Alexandria had the potential to grow and expand into a more traveled and prosperous area. Jamie had been doing antique sales on Facebook and had grown to love antiques and vintage pieces. In September 2025, Mercantile Markets in Alexandria was open and thriving- placed right on the Alexandria Square beside the Alexandria Library. With over 40 vendors inside, the building is selling antiques, vintage pieces, quilted clothing, boutique clothing, salt and pepper shakers, canned goods, local honey, candy, and MORE! They drove into Liberty, a very minute area between Alexandria and Smithville, and their feelings were the same. The slow, small town lifestyle, the historical buildings that held so many stories and memories, and the potential for growth was all the attraction it took for them to purchase the old Liberty Bank building that had been closed down for over a year. This bank building was completed in 1918, but it still had so much life left in it. By January 2026, Mercantile Markets of Liberty was born. With vendors in the bank vaults, the old offices, and upstairs, the building is quickly filling and bringing in more traffic than the little town has seen in a while. Tony and Jamie also bought the original bank building, the red building beside Mercantile Markets, and are planning to open VERY SOON once the renovations are complete. The famous pizza vending machine has been moved into this red building and will be in service soon. This is a 24-hour, touch screen machine where a fully cooked pizza is boxed and vended out within minutes. Within the near future, you will be able to find flea markets lined up in the field behind Mercantile Markets. The idea of reviving these towns that deserve love and attention have driven the Bates to pour everything they have into them. The goal is to spread kindness and the goodness of God- none of us deserve His divine mercy, but through Him, they have been given the resources and plan to use them to help others. If you have a spare moment, take a drive to Liberty, TN and Alexandria, TN. Enjoy the scenery, lavish in the moments and memories, and step into Mercantile Markets. We would love to talk to you and have you shop with us!