By Jenn Goeddeke
Mongers Provisions OUNDED IN 2017 BY ZACH BERG AND WILL WARNER, MONGERS’ PROVISIONS has consistently surprised and pleased their customers with specialty food from both here and abroad.
It’s clear that Berg and Warner have a stong passion and enthusiasm for selling hard-to-find delicacies. After meeting in summer camp at age ten, the business partners formed a solid friendship before forging ahead many years later with their joint goal of forming a “store with a story.” Berg emphasized that Mongers' Provisions is designed to give their customers an experience of “going on a trip while you’re still at home!” This includes being highly detail-oriented and familiar with the background of all items sold. Although the focus is on cheese, craft chocolate and charcuterie, there are many other items on offer, along with wine (selected to pair up with food items), beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. Additionally, Berg and Warner feature a pantry section with various spices, sauces, chutneys, plus heirloom beans and grains. Both owners started out smart: They spent a couple of years trying out different locations in the form of “pop-ups” in order to gauge customer responses and preferences. Next, they set up for one year at a butcher shop in Ferndale, before opening their own Detroit locale in 2018 (at the Cass-and-Canfield area of Midtown). Part of their decision to establish a retail location in that particular area, Berg explained, is because “Detroit deserves world-class amenities!” No other store like Mongers was available for customers to enjoy, and this initial location has been going strong ever since.
