SENSORY JOURNAL 014: Identity
•Posted on January 21 2026
As I enter my 8th year of having a brick & mortar shop, having been in three different locations in Long Beach over that time with each one having shape-shifted in design and assortment, I reflect on the identity of Burke Mercantile - and what is behind the name.
The identity of the brand is in the name. Burke was my paternal great grandfather's last name, and he passed away when my grandfather was a baby. By blood, my last name should be Burke, but my grandfather took on his stepfather's last name, Stoll, which I hold today. The Burke heritage has always been a bit of a mystery, but a part of my family's working class roots in Cincinnati, Ohio. My father, from that Burke bloodline, helped invest in Burke when I started the business, and in doing so, helped me secure a small business loan to launch the brick & mortar store and get the business off the ground. So it felt fitting to honor this heritage in the name, offering Burke another identity within my family roots.
The Mercantile part is more of an honoring of the maternal side of the family. My maternal grandparents owned and operated multiple paint stores across greater Cincinnati, running up to 11 locations successfully without a formal business background or education. I grew up as a child in those stores - remembering the detailed organization of hardware and supplies, the smell of paint, and the assortment of beautiful wallpapers on display. Paint and wallpaper have always been core to the design of the shop space (Benjamin Moore paint always as that is who my grandparents worked with exclusively in their stores) as this love language has carried on. My maternal grandparents also are some of the most tasteful people I've met, always with a tidy space, beautiful furniture, decor, and art, and my grandmother specifically always with the best fashion & jewelry!
Since growing up in those environments I have always loved a hardware store, an organized and curated retail shop, and fashion and goods designed with quality. It was with all these loves that I landed on a 'Mercantile'. Mercantiles and General Stores historically were essential community hubs, offering a variety of products from groceries, to tools, to clothing, to serve their direct communities. Locals often gathered at these shops to socialize, stock up on essentials, receive news and mail, and much more. While we are lucky in Long Beach to live in a vibrant, well-populated community with a myriad of places to get our essentials and to socialize in our modern day and age, I love the flexibility and variety behind the original idea of a Mercantile.
When I thought of a modern Mercantile, or how I might interpret this concept in my own shop, I was really inspired by unique handmade goods, more obscure brands and offerings not otherwise available locally, and high quality goods for slower living. I found inspiration in Art Museum gift shops and the discovery they offer through their assortment of functional goods and artful gifts. The Mercantile identity would allow me to shift the assortment over time depending on what my customers are looking for or are interested in, while cementing the Burke identity through the assortment we choose and the brands we work with.
I love fashion, but I don't think I'd be satisfied with a store strictly for clothing and accessories. I love art and design goods, but I can't imagine a store without a fashion offering. I love art that is simply art, but I also love and appreciate everyday functional goods that are designed well, and special items that make unique gifts. This idea of a modern Mercantile would allow me to offer a little bit of all of these things, while keeping the assortment curated through the Burke aesthetic and values. Thus, Burke Mercantile was my first and also my final decision for a business name.
If you're new here, I hope you enjoy learning a little bit more behind the identity of our shop and name! I am really looking forward to experimenting with and expanding the assortment at our new location in Belmont Shore this year, as well as sharing more of the stories behind our brands, designers, and collaborators. My focus for the Mercantile assortment this year is slow fashion, artful goods, and unique gifts. I want to bring back some jewelry and art, perhaps some new personal care items, and collaborate with local creatives and bring back some residencies to make this a community gathering space, like a true Mercantile!
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