Sterling’s Mercantile Ballroom & Cocktail Lounge to open Oct. 22, will host adult Halloween party

STERLING – After years of dreaming and hard work, Ryan and Ashley Nares are opening the doors to their latest business venture, the Mercantile Ballroom & Cocktail Lounge, 117 W. Third St., on Tuesday, Oct. 22.

To celebrate, the couple is hosting a costume Halloween party for adults ages 21 and over from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. The “Mercantile Monster Masquerade” will feature music by DJ Big Boi, a haunted boutique, a rune reader, craft cocktail specials, THC-infused drinks and treats, cash prizes for best costume and more.

“Halloween is like my Super Bowl,” Ashley said. “We used to throw Halloween parties for our family every year. So, the fact that we can do this on such a large scale has me very excited. We’re going to transform this place into Halloween Town for the night.”

The couple already own Nares Event Co. and ‘Til Death Photo and Film, but wanted to take their love of sharing in others’ happiness to the next level. The Mercantile Ballroom & Cocktail Lounge features a standalone bar and a kitchen that will serve Asian-fusion inspired food, not typically found in the area, Tuesday through Saturday to start.

“We will have Korean beef tacos and ramen, kimchi, shrimp tempura tacos and all kinds of things I never would have thought I would get to eat,” Ryan said. “We’re big foodies and love going to these cool cocktail lounges in Chicago. They have their own vibe. There’s no TVs or slot machines and there’s more conversation. Then, at night when the lights get low and the music gets louder, a club-like atmosphere begins to take over.”

The couple will also feature something not currently found in other establishments in the area, THC-infused cocktails and treats.

“We’re not big drinkers and figured we’re not the only ones but why should that stop the fun,” Ashley said. “We’re going to have THC-infused fortune cookies and churros, a THC Tea for Two cocktail and other drinks to follow. We thought it might also be fun to do a ticketed high-dining event for 4/20. We want to bring some experiences you can’t find in this area.”

The other part of the building will be a dedicated wedding venue, with the second floor being used as a headquarters for their photography/videography and wedding planning business.

“This initially started with her (Ashley) idea for a wedding venue but then we built this really cool bar,” Ryan said. “Then came the idea for the kitchen and one of Ashley’s friends is Thai and her mom is a phenomenal cook who taught them all these really cool recipes. It all started coming together and morphed into this really wonderful thing.”

The couple hope to expand upon their adult Halloween bash to eventually include other seasonal gatherings like Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties. But for now, they are content to concentrate on their opening and spread the love.

“We want to draw people to this area, not just for us but for everyone,” Ryan said. “I don’t believe that in order for me to win someone else has to lose.”

For information, visit themercantileballroom.com or tildeathphotoandfilm.com. Ashley also can be reached at 815-535-3214.