10/01/2026
Oh, The Mercantile….. an important update
That dream of a place that could help change a community. A place where people gathered and loved hard. A place that connected people, created a sense of belonging, and started a movement for change.
Ten years ago, we signed the paperwork and began dreaming up our biggest idea yet. Together, we cultivated something I hope will remain in this community long after we are no longer here.
We walked through some extraordinary seasons together.
During COVID, we delivered Easter baskets to doorsteps across our city. We helped bring Rock Hill’s first Pride to life. We marched together during the Black Lives Matter protests and showed that we are stronger when we stand together.
During a political climate that continually tries to convince us to hate our neighbors for thinking differently, we hosted conversations that brought people together and reminded us that we are far more alike than we are different.
Together, we fed people who were hungry. Hundreds of you donated Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and kept the community fridge full. We read to children throughout the county, mentored young students, and watched entrepreneurs grow from an idea scribbled on a piece of paper into thriving brick-and-mortar businesses.
To the everyday shopper visiting Rock Hill, we may have looked like just another store. But to so many others, The Mercantile was the first place where they felt seen, welcomed, and like they truly belonged.
Our staff, our customers, and this community became our family.
As the world changed, we grew and adapted with it. We watched people meet here for first dates, return to celebrate their weddings and baby showers, and eventually bring their babies into the store. You supported our family through illness, hardship, growth, and change. You watched our three children grow from little ones into young adults.You have been woven into nearly every season of our lives.
In January, we shared our plans to relocate to Italy in search of a healthier, simpler, and safer life for our family, to step off the hamster wheel and slow down, because life and time are precious. You blink, and they are gone.
After Michael’s illness, we promised ourselves that we would stop taking life for granted. We spent more than a year preparing our staff to take on this new challenge…and, boy, were they ready to run the store with us abroad.
But if you want to make the universe laugh, tell it your plans.
Our house didn’t sell according to the timeline we expected. Deadlines passed. The children had to reenroll in school. Visa requirements continued moving forward. Life became more complicated, and everything grew harder to manage.
These past few weeks have brought significant changes for our family, our home, and our future. Some of the plans we once made together have changed, and the life we thought we were stepping into has taken a very different shape than originally imagined.
I really haven’t been sure what our next action plan was and I had decided to just go one day at a time. To be honest, I’ve always been pretty good at figuring it out but with the latest changes in my life, I don’t know that I’ll be able to sort this one out and I think I just have to step back, heal and find the energy again to eventually start over. I’ve learned over the years that self care and loved ones are far more important than any community changing, money making endeavors. We only get one life and while sometimes it’s not the life you pictured, it’s still the only one you got. Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is admit that life did not go according to plan and begin again anyway.
As difficult and abrupt as this decision has been, Michael and I have decided to close The Mercantile. Perhaps the universe decided that The Mercantile has run its course and fulfilled its purpose.
Throughout this transition, we will communicate clearly about gift cards, Fast Passes, scheduled events, and any other existing commitments. If you have an event booked with us, we will remain in direct contact with you regarding every step. We will begin offering 30% off everything in store except for vendor items. We have not decided an exact closing day just yet as we have a lot to process and figure out over the coming days, but hope to be here till the end of the year. Our goal is to always be as transparent as possible and keep you in the loop. At this time we will not be taking any new bookings for the venue.
Whatever happens next, I will always stand firmly and proudly behind everything we accomplished together. The memories I carry into this next chapter will be imprinted on my heart forever. There simply are not enough words to thank you for the love, support, trust, and community you have given us over the past ten years.
Please come love on our staff. Make some more memories in the store, share the experience with a friend one last time or take some pics of your favorite places. It’s going to be hard on all of us.
Love, forever and always,
Brittany
