FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * CHRISTMAS CHARLES E   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol MERCANTILE BANK CORP [MBWM] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Senior V.P. & CFO (Last) (First) (Middle) MERCANTILE BANK CORPORATION, 5650 BYRON CENTER AVENUE SW 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/28/2005 (Street) WYOMING, MI 49509 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 01/28/2005   F   218 D $ 43.495 948 (1) D   Common Stock 01/28/2005   M   1,000 A $ 9.513 1,948 D   Common Stock               7,466 (2) I 401(k) Plan Common Stock               1,229 (2) I 401(k) Plan for spouse

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 9.513

01/28/2005

M

1,000

11/09/2001

11/08/2010

Common Stock

1,000

(3)

4,026

D

Employee Stock Option (right to buy)

$ 9.513

11/09/2001

11/08/2010

Common Stock

120

120

I

By Spouse

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
CHRISTMAS CHARLES E MERCANTILE BANK CORPORATION 5650 BYRON CENTER AVENUE SW WYOMING, MI 49509			Senior V.P. & CFO

Signatures

/s/Jerome M. Schwartz Attorney-in-fact		02/01/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Includes approximately 50 shares acquired pursuant to the issuer's 5% stock dividend paid May 3, 2004, and approximately 106 shares acquired pursuant to purchases by the reporting person in 2004 under the issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan of 2002.
(2)	Includes shares acquired pursuant to the issuer's 5% stock dividend paid May 3, 2004.
(3)	No price is entered here as this is an employee stock option.

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