Feature image: Mario and Imma Caporaso
Mercato will open a new store in North Adelaide in September this year, marking the next chapter for the beloved Italian food and wine retailer.
The long-running South Australian business will join the Eighty Eight O’Connell precinct, bringing its emporium of Italian delights to the epic new North Adelaide development.
However, the move will also mark the end of an era, with the Campbelltown store set to close.
The family-owned business began in 1972 as a small continental deli run by Mario and Imma Caporaso in Rostrevor. In 2005 it opened its Campbelltown location, expanding over the years to include wine, hospitality and online retail.
Mercato Managing Director and son of Mario and Imma John Caporaso says the decision to relocate comes from a clear sense of purpose.
“Mercato’s just cause is our motivation and reasoning for this relocation: ‘To foster a healthy, loving and joyful world, where all people feel valued and part of a greater good.’ To be situated in an environment where we have an opportunity to share our vision with more people was very compelling.”
Caporaso says the Campbelltown store has played an important role in Mercato’s growth.
“Historically, our Campbelltown store proudly provided food and wine solutions to the Italian community. Over the years Mercato has evolved to provide the greater community with an Italian solution. Evolution is in our DNA.”
“For over 50 years we have reinvented and improved our offering for the community, whether through the products and services we provide, or the locations we have been based in. North Adelaide is another iteration of this, one that we have carefully considered.”
The new store will include alternative dine-in spaces, interactive events and educational programs, alongside Mercato’s usual offering of Italian produce, pantry items, and local and imported wine.
“For us, this isn’t about moving, it’s about evolving, and creating opportunities to share our story and passion with more people,” says Caporaso.
“North Adelaide allows us to bring the best of what Mercato has always been, and shape it into something even more immersive, generous and connected. We want our guests to be swept away by our ‘retail-tainment’ experience.”
Caporaso says the same spirit that defined Campbelltown will continue in North Adelaide.
“It’s all about people. Whether it’s our guests or our staff, we are all deeply passionate and connected to Mercato. We will take this passion and flair, with that Italian touch, to North Adelaide and share with everyone at every opportunity.”
Operations at the Campbelltown store will conclude on 31 August 2025. In the lead-up, Mercato will host a ‘Celebration Season’ with events, tastings and in-store specials to thank the local community.
“We’re proud of everything that Campbelltown has meant to us and the community,” says Caporaso.
“That store has shaped who we are, so rather than quietly closing, we’ll be celebrating Campbelltown all the way to the final day — with gratitude, events, and connection.”
A new loyalty program will also launch soon, offering the usual perks along with unique experiences centred on Italian food, wine and culture.
Mercato North Adelaide will open in September 2025 at 88 O’Connell Street. A full launch calendar will be released in coming weeks.
Mercato North Adelaide
Where: Eighty Eight O’Connell, North Adelaide
When: September 2025
For more information, click here.
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