mercantile (adj.)

mer·​can·​tile : of or relating to merchants or trading

Who We Are

The Cheshire Mercantile strives to connect you with the finest products and purveyors in the region. We are passionate about quality ingredients and our priority is to support sustainable and local producers. We’ve spent time creating relationships with some outstanding small businesses and we can’t wait to share them with you.

Andy Tyson

Shop owner | cheesemonger | beer Enthusiast

Andy has been working with cheese and beer for nearly a decade. What began as a small break from teaching primary school turned into a full blown passion and career change. Andy is a Certified Cheese Professional by the American Cheese Society.

Haley Tyson

Co-OWNER | Creative director | Artist

Haley has been practicing hand lettering for the last 10 years ranging from wedding calligraphy to cafe + restaurant menus. She’s responsible for the signage at The Cheshire Mercantile and marketing for the shop.

OUR STORY:

In 2010, Andy left his job as a music teacher and went to work on a farm in Louisiana where he met Haley. That was the beginning of a journey working together on farms and small holdings in the US and UK, living out of backpacks and learning.

On eventually parting and going back to their own countries (and their old jobs!) in 2013 - Andy, a UK national and Haley, a US national, had decided that they wanted to get married. One lengthy immigration process and one big career change later, Andy began training as a cheesemonger and found a love of fermented curd and specialty food. Learning his craft from experienced cheesemongers, he completed his certified cheese professional status in 2018 whilst working in leadership for Whole Foods Market and Haley worked as a self-employed calligrapher.

Both in settled jobs in the US, Haley and Andy’s dream has always been to have their own store where they could both use their skills to build a community shop based around good food and drink. Therefore, in 2023, with two kids in tow (now 3!) they left their jobs, sold their house in the US and moved back to the UK with the intention of opening a business.
And so we find The Cheshire Mercantile.