9 Musical Acts Unite at the Boulder Theater for ‘Save The Merc’ Benefit Concert on Nov. 18
Grassroots campaign to save the 134-year-old Jamestown Mercantile calls on Colo. music fans to help raise $1.5M to secure the town's historic living room.
JAMESTOWN, Colo. (Oct. 21, 2026) — On Wednesday, Nov. 18, the Boulder Theater will temporarily become Jamestown’s “community living room.” A powerhouse lineup of nine musical acts will take the stage for a one-night benefit concert to help save the historic Jamestown Mercantile Cafe, affectionately known as “The Merc.”
The event aims to raise critical funds toward a $1.5 million goal to purchase and preserve the 1892 building, ensuring it remains the vital economic, cultural, and social heart of the Jamestown mountain community for generations to come. All proceeds will benefit the nonprofit SAVE THE MERC initiative, and contributions are tax-deductible.
The Merc has brought neighbors together through music and food for more than a century. It is the place where so many artists get their first stage, and where residents gather to show up for one another in times of celebration and crisis alike. Now, nine acts and a full Boulder Theater are helping the community own it, protect it, and put it to work for the next generation.
The Nov. 18 lineup features an all-star roster of roots, bluegrass, and Americana favorites: Daniel Rodriguez, Emma Rose, Charlie Rose, Lindsay Lou, David Satori of Dirtwire, Foggy Mountain Spaceship with Andy Thorn, The River Arkansas, Dave Watts Trio, and The Dirty Turkeys.
An Unforgettable Night of Mountain Music and Community
“Saving the building is just the first step; the mission is what this building makes possible,” campaign organizers said. “The Merc helped generate Boulder County’s vibrant quality of life, and keeping it community-owned is the seed for our mutual aid, resilience, and dynamic future. It’s going to take every pirate on the ship to save the ‘home of the somewhat feral,’ and we are incredibly grateful to the talented artists donating their time and energy to make this unforgettable night happen.”
The Save the Merc grassroots effort has already generated widespread momentum and earned regional media attention from CBS Colorado, 9News, Boulder Reporting Lab, and more, proving that The Merc’s impact reaches far beyond the foothills.
Event Details & Tickets
What: Save the Merc Benefit Concert
When: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026 | Doors: 6:00 p.m. | Show: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Boulder Theater, Boulder, Colorado
Lineup: Daniel Rodriguez, Emma Rose, Charlie Rose, Lindsay Lou, David Satori of Dirtwire, Foggy Mountain Spaceship with Andy Thorn, The River Arkansas, Dave Watts Trio, and The Dirty Turkeys.
Tickets are available now at the Boulder Theater box office or online at Z2ent.com. All proceeds from ticket sales, live giving, and pledges during the event will go directly toward the $1.5 million purchase goal to benefit the nonprofit SAVE THE MERC initiative. Contributions are tax-deductible.
How to Help
For those who cannot attend but wish to support the campaign, tax-deductible donations can be made securely online at savethemerc.org/donate. Supporters can also volunteer, host fundraising events, or inquire about major gifts and naming opportunities through the website, savethemerc.org.
About SAVE THE MERC
SAVE THE MERC is a Colorado nonprofit dedicated to preserving the historic Jamestown Mercantile Cafe building as a permanently accessible community space rooted in art, hospitality, culture, and connection. Learn more at savethemerc.org and follow us on Instagram.
Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel: 303.807.1042
Community Launches $1.5M Campaign to Save Historic Jamestown Mercantile Cafe
JAMESTOWN, Colo. (July 14, 2026) — A newly formed Colorado nonprofit, SAVE THE MERC, has launched a community fundraising campaign to purchase and preserve the historic Jamestown Mercantile Cafe, one of Colorado’s oldest continuously operating businesses and Jamestown’s only public storefront. The campaign seeks to raise $1.5 million to secure the building at 108 Main Street and keep it in community hands for generations to come.
SAVE THE MERC is the public name of The Jamestown Home for Wayward Artists, Pirates and the Somewhat Feral, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 2026 to steward the beloved Mercantile building as a permanent community asset. The organization’s goal is simple: buy the building, keep the cafe operating, preserve affordable community space, and expand arts and cultural programming.
A Historic Tradition Built Over 134 Years
Built in 1892, The Merc has served generations of residents, miners, travelers, artists, musicians and visitors. The 2.5-story, wood-frame building constructed in a classic western style was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Over the decades, it has evolved from a mercantile and post office into what locals affectionately call “the community living room.” It has hosted live music, poetry nights, community dinners, classes, celebrations, fundraisers, and countless everyday conversations that bind rural mountain communities together.
“The Merc isn’t just a restaurant,” said campaign organizers. “It’s where people gather in storms and natural disasters, celebrate milestones, meet neighbors, hear music, and feel welcome. Places like this are rare, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.”
The crowd-funding campaign comes at a pivotal moment, as the current owner has made the property available for sale and is very supportive of the nonprofit effort to preserve the building’s future as a public gathering place.
After purchasing the property, SAVE THE MERC plans to operate as landlord and steward of the property while existing tenants, including the cafe, continue operating. Rental income from the building’s eight units is expected to help cover maintenance and operating costs, while future grants and donations would support expanded programming.
Future plans include a recording studio for musicians, writer-in-residence opportunities, youth arts programming, community workshops, and preservation efforts documenting Jamestown’s history.
A Critical Community Resource
The Merc has already proven its resilience. It survived the devastating 2013 flood that affected a large part of Boulder County, serving as a FEMA meeting point and source of support during recovery efforts, and later adapted during COVID with outdoor dining and virtual concerts.
Campaign organizers emphasize that support is needed not only from Jamestown residents but from the broader community of people across Colorado and beyond who have found connection there over the years.
“It’s going to take every pirate on the ship to save the home of the somewhat feral," said Rainbow Shultz, owner of the Jamestown Mercantile and board member of SAVE THE MERC. Shultz notes that the all-volunteer board is comprised of a passionate, multidisciplinary group of community stewards dedicated to preserving The Merc as a vibrant, inclusive hub for food, music, community, and connection in Jamestown.
Honky Tonk Fundraiser, July 25
To support the SAVE THE MERC initiative, fellow mountain venue The Gold Hill Store in Gold Hill, the renowned mountain town west of Boulder, will host a Honky Tonk Fundraiser on Saturday, July 25, 3-7 pm. The event will feature a silent auction and three musical acts, and tickets include a BBQ dinner and wine tasting. Proceeds will benefit the SAVE THE MERC campaign. Visit here for more information and to purchase tickets.
How to Help
Donations can be made online at savethemerc.org/donate. Supporters can also volunteer, host fundraising events, or inquire about major gifts and naming opportunities through the website, savethemerc.org.
About SAVE THE MERC
SAVE THE MERC is a Colorado nonprofit dedicated to preserving the historic Jamestown Mercantile Cafe building as a permanently accessible community space rooted in art, hospitality, culture, and connection. Learn more at savethemerc.org and follow us on Instagram.
Media Contact
Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural, steve@compassnatural.com, tel: 303.807.1042