When Hey Paison!, Burien's popular neighborhood Italian sandwich shop of seven years closed suddenly in April, it left a void. Fortunately, the empty retail space didn't sit abandoned for long; this week, the Maven Mercantile will open in that space.

The Maven Mercantile is a walk-in eatery focused on providing nutritious meals made from scratch with high quality, natural and fresh ingredients.

The Maven Mercantile will also serve as the home base for Maven Meals, a fresh food home delivery service. Customers order selections from the rotating menus on the Maven Meals website and the meals are delivered to homes with final preparation instructions that allow for fresh, natural and gourmet meals to be ready in minutes. Menus are produced around seasons and what is available locally. Many gluten free, vegetarian and pescetarian options are offered and delivery areas range from south of Burien, over past Bellevue and even as far as north of Ballard.

Maven Meals and the Maven Mercantile were started by Heidi Pomeroy, a Burien local who earned a Bachelors Degree in Restaurant Management from Cornell University in New York and an MBA in Sustainable Business from Bainbridge Graduate Institute.

"My passion lies in providing nutritious, flavorful meals for people who have fast-paced lives and don’t always find time to prepare great meals for themselves or their family. I focus on creating complementary seasonal dishes using the freshest ingredients so the final product bursts with flavor. No one should have to suffer from eating low quality takeout meals devoid of nutrition just because they live a hectic lifestyle. I will provide you and your family with meals you'll look forward to and feel good about eating!" Heidi states on the Maven Meals website.

The Maven Mercantile will offer a selection of Maven Meals' most popular seasonal dishes and treats and will start out as a walk-in location only. Eventually The Maven Mercantile will offer limited seating.
In June of 2013, just a month after first signing the lease on the new location, Pomeroy opened the Mercantile doors for the first time as a pop-up-shop as a participant in Burien Bites, an annual event featuring local eateries hosted by HomeTask. Serving Pulled Bison Sliders, Chipotle Slaw, and Parsnip, Herb Biscuits and a number of sweet treats, Heidi's offerings were voted 2nd place out of 13 participating Burien businesses, coming in behind only 909 Coffee & Wine in Olde Burien.

The Maven Mercantile is scheduled to be open Tuesdays through Sundays each week. To learn more about the Mavin Mercantile or Maven Meals, visit the Maven Meals’ website at www.mavenmeals.com.