Owners, Ellen Lash & Brad Woolf, are a dynamic couple that feel lucky to have found each other after each lost their spouses of nearly 40 years to cancer in 2017.

Ellen has always had a passion for cooking, and dreamed of owning a restaurant. Brad had a life-long career in the restaurant industry. It seemed to be a perfect match - so they decided to launch a food truck business, The Dough Maker, in 2023. Their food truck specializes in pizza, sandwiches, bread, and a hometown favorite, cinnamon rolls!

Along the way, their business grew, and they desired to be more than a pop-up food truck. Hence, the concept to open Stella’s Mercantile, in an abandoned general store in the heart of the Hocking Hills region was born.

Brad & Ellen painstakingly restored a 135 year old country store, keeping as much of the original charm as possible. Notice the original, unpainted shelves, floors, and original front doors. Having been a staple in the community until the 1980s, they feel honored to be the next generation of owners to care for the historic building.

Stella’s Mercantile features many products for both local traffic and visitors. Many local Appalachian artisans are featured in the store, which we are very proud to showcase.

And of course, Stella’s is now home to the on-site The Dough Maker food truck. Please stop in and see us!