diff --git a/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/game/Item.java b/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/game/Item.java
index 5c2099c..058bc54 100644
--- a/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/game/Item.java
+++ b/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/game/Item.java
@@ -17,6 +17,17 @@ public Item(String itemName, int basePrice, int maxPrice, int minPrice)
 		_minPrice = minPrice;
 		_adjustedPrice = _basePrice;
 	}
+	
+	//second Item constructor
+	//if max and min prices are not specified, assigns highest possible price and lowest possible price
+	//to the two variables respectively
+	public Item(String itemName, int basePrice)
+	{
+		_name = itemName;
+		_basePrice = basePrice;
+		_maxPrice = 100000; //maximum price
+		_minPrice = 0;
+	}
 
 	//will set the adjusted price of the item based off of the daily percent of the merchant
 	//will need the daily percent as an input from merchant
diff --git a/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/game/Merchant.java b/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/game/Merchant.java
index ceaf9a6..9b9ed11 100644
--- a/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/game/Merchant.java
+++ b/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/game/Merchant.java
@@ -17,8 +17,26 @@ public Merchant(String name, int cashLimit, ArrayList<String> inventory)
 		_name = name;
 		_currentCash = cashLimit;
 		_baseCash = cashLimit;
-		//placeholder number
-		_dailyRandomPercent = 0;
+		generateMerchantInventory(inventory);
+		_dailyRandomPercent = 0; //placeholder percentage
+	}
+	
+	//will generate an array of items based off an ArrayList of item names
+	//saves the array to _inventory
+	private void generateMerchantInventory(ArrayList<String> itemList)
+	{
+		_inventory = new Item[itemList.size()]; //inventory size will be the size of the list of items
+		String[] nameAndPrice;
+		String name;
+		String price;
+		
+		for(int i=0; i < itemList.size(); i++)
+		{
+			nameAndPrice = itemList.get(i).split("\\s+"); //splits the string into the string name and string price
+			name = nameAndPrice[0];
+			price = nameAndPrice[1];
+			_inventory[i] = new Item(name, Integer.parseInt(price)); //creates a new instance of item and adds it to the inventory
+		}
 	}
 
 	//will restore the current Cash amount back to the base amount
diff --git a/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/tests/TestMerchant.java b/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/tests/TestMerchant.java
index 7c04c06..32d8261 100644
--- a/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/tests/TestMerchant.java
+++ b/MerchantRPGCSE2102/src/tests/TestMerchant.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 
+import game.Item;
 import game.Merchant;
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
@@ -12,7 +13,10 @@ public class TestMerchant extends TestCase
 	
 	public void setup()
 	{
-		ArrayList a = new ArrayList<String>();
+		ArrayList<String> a = new ArrayList<String>();
+		a.add("water 3");
+		a.add("armor 5");
+		a.add("food 10");
 		m = new Merchant("Test", 100, a);
 	}
 	
@@ -47,7 +51,11 @@ public void testRandomizer() throws Exception
 	public void testInventory() throws Exception
 	{
 		setup();
-		assertEquals(2, m.getInventory().length);
+		Item[] mInventory = m.getInventory();
+		for(int i=0; i < mInventory.length; i++)
+		{
+			System.out.println(mInventory[i].getItemName() + " " + mInventory[i].getBasePrice());
+		}
 	}
 	
 	//testing name