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Sudbury's El Mercado shop downtown closing after 48 years, owners retiring

A business that's been a staple in downtown Sudbury for decades, will close its doors at the end of the month. The two owners of the gift and décor shop called El Mercado, have decided to retire. Co-owner Shirley Vincent says the numerous shutdowns during the pandemic helped along their decision.

Gift and décor shop started after co-owner came home from Mexico with too much merchandise

CBC News ·
El Mercado's co-owner Shirley Vincent, and her business partner Marsha Fabbro have decided to retire. The store on Durham Street in downtown Sudbury will close at the end of February. Vincent is hopeful her staff will re-open the store in the future. (Angela Gemmill/CBC)

After 48 years in business, El Mercado is closing its doors in Greater Sudbury.

The gift and decor shop has been on Durham Street for 20 years, and was located on Lorne Street before that.

The two owners have decided to retire.

El Mercado, which means the market in Spanish, has been in its Durham Street location for 20 years. Before that it was also on Lorne Street and in the downtown mall. (Angela Gemmill/CBC )

El Mercado, which is Spanish for the market, started in a renovated garage in 1973 after Marsha Fabbro returned home from a trip to Mexico with too much merchandise.

"But forgot that she had to pay freight and duty and all that kind of stuff, so she gave me a call and said what do you think? Would you like to be a partner in a gift store?" co-owner Shirley Vincent recalled.

 "Little did I know that it would become a career at that time," she said.

There was also an El Mercado in Chelmsford. Fabbro and Vincent also owned and operated the Madrigal store in the Southridge Mall.

"It's been quite a journey," Vincent said.

The constant closures throughout the pandemic actually accelerated the decision to close the business and retire.

"Maybe we're doing it a little sooner than we would have, but yes it has certainly caused a lot of disruption in our business," Vincent said.

"The other thing as well, is that we have no trade shows to attend to be able to buy our product. Yes, we can do it online, but I'm not a big online person. I like to touch, feel, see what we're buying," she said.

"Sometimes what you see online is not what you get."

Co-owner of El Mercado, Shirley Vincent, stands outside the Durham Street store. The gift and décor shop will close its doors at the end of this month. (Angela Gemmill/CBC)

El Mercado did try selling merchandise online to stay afloat during the pandemic.

"We were quite successful actually," Vincent said.

"But it's a real chore, we're not set up to do that. And that would be another thing that we would have to do if we wanted to continue on, and at this stage of my life I didn't want to start a new venture."

"I just want to sit back, and relax and enjoy things," she added.

Vincent is hopeful that staff may re-open a new El Mercado in the future.

"We think that there will be a new team down the road — we hope. Depending on how the dynamics work out with COVID and online shopping."

But for now the store on Durham Street will close at the end of the month.

Vincent said she is very thankful for all the customers who have come through their doors over the years. 

"Thank you very much because without you we wouldn't have been a success"

With files from Angela Gemmill

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