Polebridge Mercantile
Polebridge Mercantile – Polebridge, Montana
10
SEPTEMBER, 2018
Polebridge Mercantile is many things. Bakery, restaurant, grocery store, hardware store, museum, auto repair, outfitter, lodging, and source of information for the area. But above all, it is a mandatory stop if you ever find yourself traveling to the northwest corner of Glacier National Park. The North Fork, as it’s called. In fact, for the first time ever, I faced a dilemma when putting this article in a category on my website. ‘Travel’ category for sure, but ‘Food’…? ‘Lodging’…? ‘Attraction’…? Polebridge Mercantile is all of those, and then some. So I put it in all three categories! If you’re lucky enough to make it to Glacier and find yourself on the west side, take the long, dusty road to Polebridge Mercantile. You can learn more about Polebridge Mercantile here.
“It was a long and dusty trip out to the Polebridge Mercantile, but it was worth every mile. The bakery there is awesome, and we indulged in a huckleberry bear claw and a brownie. The store, which dates back to 1914, is full of interesting items. The scenery is spectacular. After our visit, we took the drive into the park and visited Bowman Lake, and it was almost a religious experience because of the beauty and serenity.“ – Fay M. Review
History of Polebridge Mercantile
William L. “Bill” Adair built Polebridge Mercantile in 1914, just four years after Glacier became a National Park. An icehouse and shop were added soon after. Adair ran the store and lived in a homestead cabin, now the Northern Lights Saloon in Polebridge. The Merc’s interior still bears the log walls that Adair hand-hewed with a broadax, and the old glass-cylinder gas pump, which used a pump-and-gravity system to fuel vehicles, remains on the complex. The Mercantile was initially known as Adair’s. Bill Adair operated the store until after World War II, when Ben and Annette Rover took over. Until 1994 the Merc did not feature a bakery, which today is its most popular attraction. From the beginning, it’s been the social and business hub of the North Fork and a gateway to the Glacier National Park. A Kalispell native, Will Hammerquist, is the current owner of The Polebridge Mercantile.
Two visits to Polebridge Mercantile
I’ve now been fortunate to visit Polebridge Mercantile during two Glacier trips. My first Merc experience was before Christian and I started our 2014 Glacier hike. The last Mercantile visit was before my solo 2018 Glacier National Park hike. Actually, I can say I’ve stopped by four times since Polebridge Mercantile served as a stop after each of those hikes too. It’s hard not to stop if you’re in the area. First impressions are powerful. As soon as you crack the creaky front door of Polebridge Mercantile, you’re greeted with a fragrance so wonderful it defies description. The bakery seems to always be in operation, and the aroma of fresh pastry, bread, and other baked goods is divine. When you’re getting ready to head out on a backpacking trip, it’s particularly enticing since you know what you face for food in the coming days.
YouTube video – 2014 Mercantile visit
The “Merc” – A versatile, aromatic, quirky place
How do you describe Polebridge Mercantile to someone who has never experienced it? General Store from the old cowboy, western movies… an old-style Ace Hardware store that somehow has ‘everything’… Super-Walmart condensed down to shoe-box size…? Well, it’s a little of all of that and more. What’s especially ‘more’ are the wonderful smells. I’ve never seen any statistics, but I’m confident that most people you see in the Merc are there for the bakery. The bakery and most of the recipes are the legacy of Dan Kaufman, a third-generation baker from Idaho who owned Polebridge Mercantile for 15 years. Dan’s legacy and tremendous baking wisdom still live on in every bear claw the Merc produces. But it’s more than a bakery. There is a grocery aisle, a gift shop area, and the loft looks like an antique store with museum-piece lanterns, type-writers, and everything imaginable.
I saw God in a bear claw
The huckleberry bear claw I ate just before I started my 2018 Glacier hike was likely the best food item I’ve ever experienced. And I almost left without buying it. The story is that I was heading to Kintla Lake for the start of my 2018 Glacier hike. I made the mandatory stop at Polebridge Mercantile for coffee and a breakfast sandwich. Just as I was getting ready to leave, a baker emerged from the kitchen with huckleberry bear claws just pulled from the oven. Wow! The smells are always great in the Merc, but that aroma was so decadent it should have been illegal. I left without buying one. But right outside the door, I stopped and said aloud, “I have to have one of those!” I went back in and bought one. It was still warm and SO good. I swear I saw God in that bear claw.
YouTube video – 2018 Mercantile visit
Conclusion – Polebridge Mercantile
Polebridge Mercantile holds a special place in my heart. Glacier National Park is one of my favorite places on the planet, and the Merc has been an important stop on two of my four Glacier hikes. Our stop at the Mercantile before the 2014 hike allowed Christian and me to start with confidence and buoyant spirits. I was solo when I stopped in Polebridge before my 2018 Glacier hike. On that trip, circumstances left me feeling a bit wigged out going into the hike. Polebridge Mercantile provided a familiar, comfortable place to settle my nerves. A heavenly bear claw and some delicious hot coffee were just what I needed to get myself steadied before that hike. If you’re in the Glacier area and the opportunity presents itself to visit Polebridge Mercantile do yourself a favor and go. The Merc is a place you won’t soon forget.
I am a ‘content creator’ with a passion for backpacking, creating videos, photography, and writing – with a healthy dose of all things outdoors on the side!
