STORY & PHILOSOPHY

My grandma is one of the greatest inspirations for Main Street Mercantile. The flower in the logo is Lily of the Valley, which is one of her favorite flowers and scents. When I was a young girl, I would often crawl in bed with my grandparents at night and wake to the smell of her Lily of the Valley perfume. I would spend the day at their shop, Gil’s, at Fay’s Mall in Ilion. I’d ride my tricycle around and visit all of the vendors. Sniff the different flavors of tobacco. Press the leftover dust from key making between my fingers because it looked like glitter. When the day was done, I’d make her kick off her heels, put her feet up, and tell her to “belax." We liked to relax and eat pomegranates. The flower is special to me and reminds me of where I come from. A symbol of connection between past, present, and future.

 

This space has deep meaning for me and I hope when you walk in you feel at home. More than anything, I want to see our area do well. I want the people who live here, as well as visitors, to have a beautiful space they can visit to treat themselves, a loved one, or a stranger. A space to learn more about the arts, more about yourself, and more about each other. Community and connection. 

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Keep believing in yourself and each other.

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With love, 

The Valley