Brooklyn Mercantile

I walked into this store excited to begin a joint project with my sisters. We’re all knitting or crocheting individual squares for a quilt to give our parents for Christmas. I needed crochet hooks and yarn. The person I was directed to, who I was told by the woman behind the cash register is the person to whom I must speak, could not have been less friendly. She continued her conversation with someone seated at a table yards away. She barely looked up from her pattern. She never made eye contact and made it seem that I was causing her some inconvenience.
I’ve always thought that this store was cute and quirky, and the place to go for much needed advice and guidance. Never will I set foot in there again. I love to support neighborhood establishments but I think the Pearl on Canal Street will provide me with better service and some semblance of advice.
Go here if you want to be ignored by pretentious, pattern studying employees.

Brooklyn Mercantile has a lot of stuff, but not very much of any one thing. This isn’t very helpful most of the time. While I’m sure that the owner has a design for her store, it appears so much more haphazard. There’s some yarn, but not a very good selection. There are some notions, but they’re random. There are some buttons, but they aren’t labeled by size or price most of the time. Like Ingrid C. noted, the space looks nothing like the picture from Amy S.
I’ll give them 3 stars for being fairly nice, but really, I find the store to be unfocused and not very useful.

I don’t know what store the first two reviewers visited, but it sure doesn’t sound like the Brooklyn Mercantile I know. Sure, it’s an eclectic place, but it’s also useful, helpful, tasteful. My 8-​year-​old daughter discovered sewing this year and we go in this store several times a month. The owner, Tamara, never fails to be friendly and helpful. I have never gotten a snotty «once-​over,» even when dressed in grungy sweats and a t-​shirt. We have gotten help for free when we’ve sewed ourselves into a corner. We’ve stocked up on notions. We’ve bought fabric (there may not be a lot, but what there is is really nice). My daughter has taken sewing lessons there. It’s not a mess, it’s not snotty, it’s great store.

I’m a knitwear designer and have lived in Park Slope for quite a few years and it’s always good to see a new business trying to make it and find their way — offering nice things and putting good energy out there. I’ve found lovely trim at Brooklyn Mercantile and it’s great to have a place to get buttons and other notions when you don’t feel like trekking into the city. The owner is kind and helpful and the place is definitely worth a visit if you haven’t been.

I don’t get it.
I walked into Brooklyn Mercantile today and it was like wandering into a sweet old lady’s living room. Decorative glasses lined the cute antique-​y shelves. A shelf right by the door was crammed with scented lotions and candles. Motif-​edged plates and other ceramics were here and there.
Too bad this old lady had a stroke. I had no idea what what going on. Fabric bolts were disorganized on shelves, some unfurled. A shelf of ribbons and cute decorative trim were just strewn about, unwound. I’m not even an orderly person but I had the urge to wind up all the spools and organize them by color. The front table that used to hold many cute, decorative housewares (and a larger selection of candles I used to admire — now oddly absent) was now covered with sample books filled with ugly upholstery fabric.
This used to be a cute household goods and gifts shop. Then it was crafty? Quilters? Sewing? I don’t know. Now I’m just starting to think they’re just ripping off every other craft store in the neighborhood (and badly). I’d rather take sewing classes at Flirt, get notions at Fiber Notion, get stationary at Paper Love, wander every other antique shop for overpriced knick knacks, and ride my bike down to Brooklyn General and stare at the lovely bins of yarn. Brooklyn Mercantile does sound a lot like Brooklyn General, doesn’t it?
What a fucking mess. My experience even ended with an awkward goodbye.
*Quick edit: Amy S.‘s photo of the shop is misleading. It’s not anywhere close to being that organized (or brightly lit).

I’m taking a sewing class here now and love the teacher. The fabric selection is somewhat underwhelming but I was told that they are planning on expanding it. They also have muslin which is good to know. There is a nice selection of basic sewing supplies. This store is much closer to me than Brooklyn General and definitely works in a pinch.

BORING.
maybe it was the snotty once-​over i got from the woman at the counter when i walked in and said hi, but i was pretty underwhelmed by this overpriced, over-​scented store. tons of scented candles, reed diffusers and a smattering of knitting supplies. the prices were definitely high and the atmosphere was not inviting.
nope.