Melissa Russell
It’s hard to believe Westcott Mercantile has only been in Belmont Center for 10 years. With its quirky displays, friendly staff, and old-fashioned customer service, the stylish gift shop at 63 Leonard St. taps so strongly into a sense of nostalgia that it feels like it has always been right where it is today.
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, owner Mary Westcott Thomajan is throwing a party, and everyone’s invited. From April 3 through April 7, there will be live music, raffles, treats, and tastings, and customers will even get to spin the antique carnival wheel for special celebratory discounts.
The Belmont Voice talked with Thomajan about the continued popularity of what she calls this “Goods & Good Company.” This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What is your background?
I grew up in food retail. My family in Connecticut worked for the food retailer Hey Day. It was Whole Foods before Whole Foods. It was in a barn with sawdust on the floor. We baked our own pies, made our own bread, and had a cheese and charcuterie department. It was great; so much fun.
I’ve always done very quirky things. Prior to this, I had a vending business called Ven Divas with a friend of mine. We filled snack and soda machines and kept mom’s hours. That’s why I bought the business; when we were done, we could take our kids to the games, to sports, and to school. It was a blast. I designed custom candy boxes for another women’s business years ago and had a catering business for years. I’ve [had] a lot of businesses and they all led me here. I just love being in retail.
So, you’re a real entrepreneur — not everyone has that.
My dad was a Renaissance sort of guy, and I think I can do all the things I can because of him. I fix things; I do all the things around here. I’m right in there with my tools. That’s the way I was raised.
Can you talk more about your dad?
My parents are from the Midwest, and he was an industrial designer. He designed automobiles for Ford in Dearborn [Michigan]. They moved to Connecticut, and he started his own industrial design company. He was so amazingly talented. He was the guy who’d be fixing a car in the driveway on weekends. He gave me a ’65 Mustang when I graduated high school because I had to work and needed the money for college. He and I fixed it, changed the oil, bonded the floor, and did all of it together. I was raised to be self-sufficient. He taught common sense, which you really need to run a business.
(Thomajan’s father died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The Mercantile’s 10th anniversary celebration includes raffles, with the proceeds going to benefit ALS research.)
How did you come to open a shop in Belmont Center?
I started in Cushing Square originally. That space was so long and skinny that it was hard to merchandise, but the rent was great. In Belmont Center was Marmalade, a gift store, and I got to know the owner. When she decided not to do retail anymore, she said I could take over the lease. It was perfect timing. When Jamaica Jeff lost his business after COVID and this place became available, that was my dream. I could have every department that I wanted to in the Mercantile. At first, the landlord said no because the place was set up for a restaurant. But it was right after COVID, and I said no one was going to open a restaurant. It was a huge, massive renovation, but I said, “If I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it. It was the best thing I’ve done. We have a really fun flow. It has the same feel as my Cushing Square store, but with more space and people can get around. I’m so happy it all came together.
Why do you think the shop is so appealing?
I have old quirky stuff mixed with new. All the stuff in my baby section, the two-dimensional storybook characters on the walls, are from my own collection from my childhood. I go to flea markets and I find really quirky vintage things. Sometimes they sell, and sometimes they become a prop. I buy what I love and if someone wants to buy it, I’ll sell it. I think they love the simplicity of the music. It’s not loud and raucous while you’re shopping. I think people like the mix of old and new – it makes them feel good.
The whole place, we’re trying to evoke old-school shopping. That’s what I’m all about. People love what I’ve curated, and they’ll come here with a friend, meet for lunch, and then shop together. It’s a nice, community-oriented store.
It’s nice to see things here you don’t see anywhere else.
That’s a constant challenge. Everybody says retail is going away because of Amazon, but people aren’t shopping on Amazon for what I have here. People want to come in and see what’s new, see how it is merchandised. A lot of it is just what I like, what I would give somebody. I try to make sure everything has a story.
You have these ceramic guinea hens. What’s their story?
They are terracotta pottery from an artist out of Lausanne, France. She has real guinea hens on her property, and they are known to be amazingly smart birds. She decided to create them for other people to enjoy. Each one is hand-signed by her, and they have a story underneath that says in French, ” I created these guinea hens for other people to enjoy because they are such amazing animals.” That’s been a really great product for me. People recognize it is a piece of art. I had a woman who was from South Africa come in, and she was looking for a gift for her sister. She said it was the perfect gift she could give, because they grew up where those birds come from. They are definitely one of my favorite things in the store.
Beyond retail, you are invested in creating community.
I started the Cushing Square Business Association, and we did a fall festival every year I was there. There was no dunk tank, but we did have stilt-walking lessons, swing dance lessons, and other fun things. It was great for three years, but unfortunately, when I came here, nobody picked it up, so it went by the wayside.
We did a lot of cross-promotion. One of my favorite things in the store is a carnival wheel. I used to put in the names of the other businesses, and if you shopped at that other store and brought in the receipt, you got to spin the wheel. If they landed on another store, they would go there to collect a prize. It took a long time to get people to understand, but it included everyone, and people could find out about new stores that way. It’s the same with the Farmers’ Market. I give 15% off to anyone who shops while the Farmers’ Market is going on. It’s one of the greatest promotions I’ve done. It only happens from 2:30 to 6 p.m., but it’s a great discount and something we can do for the community.
The store has always been a fundraising platform. We’ve done a lot for Ukraine, and a lot of my products have give-backs, so if you buy one of the vases from Thailand, that company gives to elephant conservation. There are stories like that throughout the whole store. People want to give gifts and feel good, and if it has a meaningful story, that changes the whole idea of giving for the sake of giving.
What are you excited about right now?
Our 10-year anniversary party — there is so much going on! We have a lot of things coming up, which is so much fun. We’ll give away daffodils and have raffles, live music, tastings, a popcorn bar, and other activities throughout the weekend. It will be a nice family event.
Ten years in, I’m feeling really great. We got through COVID. I’m so lucky to have the fantastic staff I have; they are truly the backbone of the place. I’m happy I’m still in business. The store is quirky and truly has something for everyone. Very few people leave empty-handed. It’s a lot of work, but I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it.
Westcott Mercantile’s anniversary celebration runs through April 7. For more information, visit the website atwestcottmercantile.com
