Cape Town was established in 1652, when the first Dutch settlers arrived, led by Jan van Riebeek. The original structure for “Merchants on Long” was built not long after this. Inside you can see the original “koffie klip” (coffee stone) wall’s made out of slate taken directly form Table Mountain, this dates the building back to then, around 350 years ago. Long street use to be called “De Derde Berg Dwars Straat” (The Third Road Parallel to the Mountain.) Merchants on Long is housed at number 34; its name derived from the gold leaf letters on the facade which still read “Merchants.”
“Merchants on Long” also caters for those who aren’t in the mood for shopping. It entices you to step out of your daily routine with its long wooden bar towards the back of the shop where you can come and enjoy a newspaper over a cup of freshly brewed coffee and slice of daily homemade cake.
The stock is exclusively sourced from all over Africa and products produced with fair trade and organic materials whenever possible. With an emphasis on job creation and small business development Merchants aims to showcase the best of African design whilst simultaneously contributing towards the upliftment of local communities. Here are a few samples of the products available at Merchants on Long...
