The Keeneland Association celebrated the opening of its new Keeneland Mercantile retail shop this month in Lexington’s City Center block. The new store offers a curated selection of regionally made and locally sourced artisan items aimed to appeal to both Lexington locals and visiting tourists at the new downtown development.
“Keeneland’s dedication to heritage and culture is at the heart of Keeneland Mercantile, which establishes a powerful downtown presence for Thoroughbred racing,” Keeneland vice president and chief operating officer Vince Gabbert said, in a release. “The tradition of racing, the nod to our roots in the iconic Keeneland sycamore tree featured in the Keeneland Mercantile brand and our commitment to quality and community all converge to create this new retail destination.”
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Keeneland Mercantile’s selection includes a variety of consumable items, including bourbon-focused chocolates from Louisville-based Art Eatables and a line of handcrafted cocktail mixers for cocktail enthusiasts from Charleston, South Carolina-based Bittermilk. The shop also features a variety of handcrafted items, such as classic silver and pewter bar accessories by Lexington Silver, leather goods from Louisville-based Steurer & Co. Leatherwork, and blown glassware from Terrane Glass, which is based in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina.
The shop will also offer on-site heat-stamped personalization on select leather goods from Clayton & Crume, and A Keeneland-edition Duck Cloth Blazer by Brit & Blue will be available exclusively at Keeneland Mercantile.
“Keeneland Mercantile reflects the best of what our region, our tradition and our craftsmen have to offer,” Keeneland director of retail Kyle Cassin said. “It’s an exciting opportunity for Keeneland to further elevate the guest experience and connect with new racing fans.”
Keeneland Mercantile is located on the ground level of The Offices at City Center at the intersection of Main and Limestone Streets. The shop is open Monday though Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.