The Liberty Street Mercantile a collection of shops in a renovated 1939 warehouse located next to Magpie Diner and owned by the same people opened in 2023. The location houses multiple small businesses and kiosks such as Parentheses Books, Blakemore’s Flowers, Living Room Collective, Asdelia Mae Boutique, Dryad Cookery, Rhythm & Vinyl, and Chestnut Ridge Coffee Roasters. Each business is part of a unique and diverse community in the mercantile.

Parentheses Books: A Page from a Small Town Bookstore 

Amanda Sall, the owner of Parentheses Books on Liberty Street Mercantile moved to town from New York City and was surprised to find something missing: an independent bookstore. It wasn’t part of her original plan to open one, but as time passed and her kids got older, the idea started to take root.

“I worked in a small independent bookstore in New York City for a long time before I moved here,” Sall said. “And when I moved here, there was nothing like this, so I thought I’d fill a hole.”

That idea became a calling during the isolation of the pandemic. With the world slowing down and the importance of meaningful spaces becoming clearer than ever, she began seriously considering her vision.

“I started thinking about it the first winter during COVID, like the winter of 2020–2021,” Sall said. “That spring of 2021 was when I started getting into the weeds of it.”

Opening the store wasn’t easy. Sall admitted she had no prior business experience and didn’t have her own funding to start.

“I started with a business plan just to figure out what I needed to do and how much money it would cost,” Sall said. “Then I worked through how I was going to raise that money.”

In the fall of 2022, Sall launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring the vision to life and to test whether her community would rally around the idea.

“It felt like the Kickstarter campaign was sort of a litmus test for if the community could even support the store,” Sall said. “I figured if there were enough people who were willing to invest in getting it open, then there’d be enough people to help keep it going.”

And people did show up. Despite construction delays at the Liberty Street Mercantile, Sall kept pushing forward, asking questions, learning as she went, and adjusting her timeline. She initially hoped to open in spring 2023, but doors didn’t open until fall.

“I didn’t really know what I was doing,” Sall said. “But I kept asking people questions and trying to figure it out.”

That persistence paid off. On opening day, Sall said she was overwhelmed by the response.

“Just the number of people that were in here, the number of people who said they supported my Kickstarter campaign and were so happy that I was open,” Sall said. “It was really heartwarming—the immediate support and response from the community.”

Since opening, The Parentheses Bookstore has offered more than just novels and nonfiction. It’s become a gathering place, a rare third space where people can browse, connect, and unplug.

“Bookstores are really important to communities,” Sall said. “They’re not just stores that sell books–they’re community gathering spaces.”

In a world where everything is digital and fast, Sall sees physical books and in-person spaces as powerful alternatives.

“We all walk around with a computer in our pocket,” Sall said. “There’s something nice about walking into a store, leaving your phone in your pocket, and picking up a book.”

The store has provided locals with a place to shop outside of big box retailers or Amazon. But more importantly, it’s created a space to slow down.

“Bookstores are a little bit like coffee shops,” Sall said. “They’re not home, they’re not work, they’re somewhere in between.”

For Sall, running the bookstore is more than a job. It’s a full-time commitment, and one that has reshaped her family’s daily life.

“It’s my whole livelihood,” Sall said. “I used to be home all the time, and now I’m not. It’s a big deal.”

Sall credited much of her success not just to her own determination, but to others who helped along the way.

“You need a lot of help from people to answer questions, people to support you at home if you can’t be there,” Sall said. “You just can’t do it all by yourself.”

She emphasized the importance of both employees and community members in keeping small businesses alive, especially bookstores, which face tough competition from online giants.

“Since it’s so easy to buy cheaper books elsewhere, you really need a lot of local community support to stay in business,” Sall said.

For those dreaming of starting a business but unsure where to begin, Sall had one message: 

“Don’t count yourself out.” Sall said. “I had no idea how to open a business. But if you just take it one step at a time, and figure out the answer to each question as it comes… I think it’s possible for anyone to do it.”

From a pandemic daydream to a thriving community hub, Parentheses Bookstore now serves as a cozy cornerstone downtown, one built not just on books, but on courage, questions, and determination.

Blakemore’s Flowers: Blooming in Business

‘‘I have been in the flower industry since I was 17 years old. I just kind of picked it up as a summer job after school. And started to understand what to do on the job, for instance, how to arrange flowers,’’ Tiffany Crider said 

Crider works at Blakemore Flowers located in the Liberty Street Mercantile with nine other employees and are all quite close with one another. 

“We all are coworkers, but we’re also friends,” Crider said.”We do stuff outside of the shop together. We all get along super well, and we’re just all very much a part of each other’s lives. The owner has a kid and seeing the owner’s daughter when she was a baby, she was here all the time. We all took turns taking care of her. So just seeing her grow up was so fun.’’ 

Other than having fun these employees are working hard in the shop. They work hard to make the flowers clean and perfect for their customers. Crider talked about how the job is so much more than just rearranging flowers, how they’re constantly on the phone and taking out the trash. 

 “It’s a pretty dirty job. Once the flowers come in, which is several times a week, they come in these large boxes. We open them, we take a lot of the cleaner off of them, we cut them, and we put them in buckets, and they go in our cooler,” Crider said. 

“You meet people at their happiest moments like a wedding and their saddest moments like a funeral,” Crider said.  “I would say my favorite event is weddings. I like doing smaller weddings. It’s fun to work with the brides. They’re usually very happy, very excited, like the energy around it.”

The Living Room Collective: A Living Passion

Devi Sutphin, mother and employee of business owner Laura Reiner, has been with Living Room Collective since it started up in October of 2023, Reiner and Sutphin have worked hand in hand to build the business from the ground up.

“I’m very proud of her. I’ve always been very proud of her,” Sutphin said. “She graduated from JMU with a master’s degree in social work, and she worked for a while until she got married. And then even after she was married, she worked for a while… They have two children now, so she’s busy.”

Sutphin loves the atmosphere of the Mercantile. It brings people together. Not only shop owners but customers too. For some customers, a simple chain reaction sends them through all parts of the Mercantile. For each store’s owners and employees, it’s seeing friendly faces each day.

“Everyone in the Mercantile is just so supportive of everyone,” Sutphin said. “We don’t just think about bringing people into our store, but bringing people into everybody’s stores. We all just kind of build on each other.  And people come in to go to the florist, and they go, ‘Oh, with my flowers I can come in here and buy a card.’ I don’t think you find that in a lot of business opportunities.”

The economy has been particularly hard on small businesses. Tariff rates were quite high over the past few months, and this made buying products from other countries very expensive. When LRC first started up, inflation and interest rates were rising. All these things and many more made owning and running a small business even harder than it already is.

“I think the struggle for us right now is the economy,” Sutphin said. “We’re just breaking even. Maybe we thought by the time we’re in business, rolling into two years, maybe we’d be making money, but I think the economy and tariffs, that’s going to be a problem. We’re going to see an increase in the prices.”

Advertising online is a huge part of businesses. It’s important to let people know who you are as a business and let them see what you sell and some of who you are. It is one of the most convenient and important parts of advertising. One of Sutphin’s favorite parts of coming to work each day is posting on her Instagram. She loves to update her followers about her life at the store. 

“The hardest thing for me was talking to people,” Sutphin said. “But coming in here, it’s just been so eye-opening that it’s so easy when someone comes in the store to open a conversation. And I think that is why [small shops are] so important. Because like when you go into TJ [Maxx], you go in, you walk around, no one ever asks you, ‘Can I help you?’ No one says, ‘Hi, how are you?’ And sometimes, when I say ‘Hi, how are you?’ someone says, ‘Oh, I’m just kind of down today,’ and then we have a conversation, and that means a lot to me.”

Adelia Mae Boutique: A Mother’s Gift to Other Mothers

Jenna Cauci, a former elementary school teacher turned stay-at-home mom, is now the owner of the bright and colorful boutique located in the Liberty Street Mercantile, Asdelia Mae Boutique. Having been open for the past year and a half, her goal for her business is to have good quality, to be purposeful, and to build a community.

“I was trying to figure out how to afford these great brands on a budget,” Cauci said. “So I started consignment, consigning my kids’ clothes and other moms’ clothing, and that kind of built the capital as a start to this endeavor.”

Cauci had quite a journey to open and start her business. Waiting for about a year due to renovations, she was very excited when she could finally open it up to the public. One of her favorite moments in the store was seeing her friends and family’s faces at their soft opening.

“Seeing the excitement on people’s faces and people seeing that we actually needed a children’s store,” Cauci said. “ That was just exciting to have people understand what you’re doing.”

Her family plays a big role in her life. Her kids, in particular, inspired her dream to start Asdelia Mae Boutique. With her kids as the foundation, she’s worked hard to make her store a place not only that she loves, but every person who walks in loves too.

“This is my livelihood. This is everything. It’s my passion, it’s my dream,” Cauci said. “Just take the chance, even if you’re not sure, just do it, and if it’s wrong, it’s wrong, you figure it out, you make it better, and just don’t give up.”

Dryad Cookery: Camping Mishap Turns Passion

In a cozy corner of the Liberty Street Market, The Dryad Cookery stands out, not because of flashy signs or loud advertising, but because of the quiet care behind every item on its shelves. Known for its handmade, high-quality cooking tools designed for cast iron lovers and culinary creatives, this small business is the product of both craftsmanship and community.

Founder Brian McKee, said he never intended to create a brand, he simply needed a better spatula.

“I forgot my favorite thrift store spatula on a camping trip,” McKee said. “So I decided to make the best spatula for cast iron cooking that I could.”

That one decision turned into a passion of McKee’s. With metalworking and blacksmithing experience, McKee began building durable tools that stood out in simplicity and quality. But like many small business owners, the road to opening a storefront wasn’t easy.

“The biggest struggle I faced was the steep learning curve of manufacturing a product from scratch and not finding good mentors until much later,” McKee said.

Still, McKee didn’t give up. He launched a Kickstarter campaign that built a “global community of supporters”. From there, he began refining his products, holding local cooking events, and slowly zoomed in, focusing on building relationships with the local community and creating tools anyone could use, regardless of experience.

“I like to think we bring joy, fun, and high-quality cooking products without any pretenses of having professional cooking experience,” McKee noted.

What started as a solo idea eventually became a collaborative dream. McKee’s wife now runs the retail side full time, while he handles the online store and behind-the-scenes operations. The business first launched online in 2019, and after building a global audience through Kickstarter, the team finally opened their long-awaited physical shop. For McKee, the goal was never just about selling products, it was about creating joy and making great cooking accessible.

“This business gave me a sense of ownership over something I was passionate about,” McKee said. “We want people to enjoy cooking, no matter their experience.”

That philosophy carries over into the storefront atmosphere. Stepping inside The Dryad Cookery the shelves are carefully curated, the lighting warm, and the vibe inviting. According to McKee, opening day confirmed that they were onto something special.

“The most memorable part was hearing customers say how much they loved the feeling they got when they walked in,” McKee said. “Being able to bring that vision into a tactile experience was great.”

But it’s not just the owners who feel connected to the shop. Priska, a new employee at The Dryad Cookery, shared what makes working there feel different from any ordinary job.

“You felt like you knew everyone involved,” Priska said. “You weren’t just a number. It was nice and relaxing, but also fulfilling.”

Priska described the store as not only a space to sell quality items, but also a place to express creativity and support local makers.

“It was a space that felt meaningful,” Priska said. “There was one setup that looked so beautiful. Everything came together, and I loved hearing what the customers thought.”

Even the products themselves sparked admiration from customers, especially for their durability and attention to detail.

You saw those scissors and knives over there?” Priska said “They weren’t just display items. They were built to last. I heard customers say they baby those knives because they’re such good quality,” Priska said.

Both Priska and McKee offered advice for anyone thinking about starting or working in a small business. McKee encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs to ask questions, seek help, and stay committed.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out to other businesses that inspire you,” McKee said. “Just keep being persistent with whatever challenge is right in front of you.” 

“Show up on time and do your job,” Priska said.

At the end of the day, The Dryad Cookery represents more than just kitchenware. It reflects the heart of what small businesses bring to a community: connection, creativity, and a reminder that behind every product is a story worth sharing.

Rhythm & Vinyl: Music, Vibes, Monty

Rhythm & Vinyl, a relatively new addition to the Liberty Street Mercantile, resides in the basement of the building. Owner Ryan Faraci decided to make his record store a reality in early 2024. Upon walking into the shop, a welcoming, cozy vibe immediately creates a home-y atmosphere. 

“I wanted this to be like a living room,” Faraci said. “Come sit, hang out with the dog, listen to music. I wanted it to be a relaxing atmosphere where people would feel welcome.”

Like many small business owners, Faraci’s dreams started when he was younger. A passion for music and physical media met when Faraci entered a record store for the first time.

“In the mid to late 90s, I went into Tower Records for the first time,” Faraci said. “It was the coolest place I had ever been. I fell in love with everything about it, and ever since, I wanted to open a record store.”

Music is a passion for Faraci, particularly physical music, which is almost essential for a record store owner. There is just something about having a physical piece of the music instead of the average streaming service on your phone.

“Vinyl, to me, is the best way to listen to music because when you pick out a record you’re actually participating in the music,” Faraci said. “Much more than you do when you just hit shuffle on a playlist on your phone. You put more thought into what you’re listening to, and that carries over into caring more about what you’re listening to.” 

The first day that a business is open to the public is a make or break moment. It’s the public’s first impression of the business, and it allows a business owner to get a feel for what an everyday in their new life might look like. Some people frame their first paycheck, to remember the first dollars they ever made, but for Faraci, he took a different route to remember his first day open. 

“I have my first sale, the first $5 I ever made on the wall for display. It was such a validating experience for me,” Faraci said.

Something that makes Rhythm & Vinyl unique is their star employee, Monty — Faraci’s dog. They’ve been together for around 10 years now, and Monty is highly incorporated into the store. 

“He’s been there every step of the way.” Faraci said. “He deserves a place where he can just be fond over. Like when people come in and just crowd around him and pet him, it’s the happiest moment he could have and he gets to have it every day. He just puts people in a positive place when they see him.”

Most small businesses strive to impact the community in a positive way. It creates a reputation in a small community and drums up business. For Rhythm & Vinyl, they’re making a statement by beginning to organize for live music events.

“We’re actually going to be doing live music here in a few months,” Faraci said. “Many members of the community have expressed interest in performing or attending as an audience. Giving Harrisonburg another music venue is going to have obvious effects on the community and local artists, which is what we’re going to focus on.”