Every holiday season, folks seeking one-of-a-kind vintage items line Bay Street in Port Orchard, waiting to explore the countless antiques ready for discovery inside Josephine’s Mercantile.
This year, the shop is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with its 9th Annual Holiday Gala Nov. 9-12, which also includes festivities and sales at its sister shop, Revival, across the street.
Josephine’s Mercantile and Revival are the heart and soul of Sam Smith. Her inspiration for starting a new business combined honoring her iconic grandma with a passion to repurpose, recycle and enjoy old keepsakes that might otherwise end up in a dump.
“My grandma, Josephine, was vintage, so I just loved everything about her,” Smith said. “It wasn’t necessarily her look — it was her lifestyle.”
Smith opened her first shop in what was — at the time — one of the oldest mercantile stores in Port Orchard. Over the next five years, the business outgrew what initially started as a 500-square-foot space. Since then, Smith moved the shop to its current location, which was once home to a hardware store, a furniture store and most, recently, an events center. In the 1980s, the building housed Skate Castle, and skate marks etched on the original floor show the building’s history and add to the shop’s vintage aesthetic.
During COVID, she almost closed up shop due to shrinking foot traffic downtown, but when the building across the street suddenly became available, Smith jumped on the opportunity to start a new endeavor, Revival.
Between the two stores, you’ll find a variety of locally crafted goods, all things vintage, Pacific Northwest gift shopping galore and much more.
“If you don’t love vintage, you’ll probably love what’s over at Revival, because it’s just a little bit different feel, but they both feel similar,” Smith said.
Josephine’s Mercantile
If you’re searching for a one-of-a-kind gift that’s hard to find, Josephine’s Mercantile is the perfect place. Inside is a mecca of antique items waiting to be discovered and appreciated again, as well as new, locally made home décor and gift cards. The shop is home to more than 20 vendors, each selling their own collection of antiques and upcycled goods. In Spicing It Up, find a bright mix of artistic kitchen wares, while Revin’ Redo features collections of vintage signs and nostalgic collectibles.
Josephine’s Mercantile is a gold mine of beautifully restored antique furniture for those looking to add vintage charm to their home. Each piece is restored and hand-painted, everything from armoires and tables, to chairs and bookshelves. Smith said one of the most popular styles people search for are midcentury designs, often characterized by clean lines and gentle curves.
Mercantile Coffee Co., tucked away in the back of the store, offers a delicious departure from shopping. Patrons can refuel with caffeine, nonalcoholic cocktails and decadent pastries, all prepared in-house. A year-round, mouthwatering favorite is the blueberry goat cheese scone that’s drizzled with Southern-style sweet honey, but make sure to stop in throughout the year for seasonal drinks and food specials.
Revival
Revival, on the other hand, offers new goods, like handcrafted jewelry, candles, Pacific Northwest puzzles and home décor, trendy clothing, artisan delectables and other local products. Staff member Rachel Arnold, an admirer of all things vintage, said one of her favorite products is the Cavallini poster art — she loves the classy aesthetic and educational value they provide.
Toward the back of the shop is where the monthly vendor market, The Local, is hosted. Each month, makers and small businesses from the Pacific Northwest showcase their wares and creative, handcrafted goods. Because the shop charges a modest booth fee and no commission, it’s an affordable place for artists and crafters to showcase their products.
Products at Revival are sourced as locally as possible and from a variety of companies that use proceeds for a good cause — two of the main goals for discovering new inventory, said Anna Maddox, the shop’s general manager. The store receives new inventory weekly, so shoppers can always spot something new. All products are made in the USA, but many of the goods are sourced from West Sound and surrounding areas, including Seattle and Portland.
“We really like to be the place where people can come for gifts they can’t find anywhere else in town, as well as locally themed, locally made items. It’s really a curated shop,” Maddox said.
Gift Guide for Holiday Shopping
- Revival = R
- Josephine’s Mercantile = JM
Prodigal Pottery products are all handmade in Alabama by women fleeing homelessness, domestic violence and sex trafficking. All proceeds of every sale go toward the organization’s mission and help fund employment, financial training, professional skills and emotional-care support programs to women in need. The mugs are also available at Mercantile Coffee Co. R, JM
Portland Syrups provides artisan mixers perfect for elevating drinks and desserts. The company brews exquisitely flavored, lower-sugar mixers using whole botanical ingredients, with 40% fewer sugar calories than a typical cocktail mixer. R
Lantern Press is a company out of Seattle that makes puzzles, art prints and home goods. The shop carries a variety of the company’s Pacific Northwest and nature-inspired drink coasters and puzzle designs, including “Bigfoot Starry Night,” a modern take on Vincent van Gogh’s famous masterpiece. Maddox said anything with Bigfoot or Sasquatch is really popular. R
“Since we get a lot of tourists, this is my No. 1 recommendation for people who want to take something or even give somebody a gift that has some local flavor to it,” Maddox said.
Evergreen Roots offers sustainable and elevated home fragrances inspired by Pacific Northwest sights and scents, such as Mount Rainier and Alki Beach. Each candle is hand-poured in Washington, features clean-burning 100% soy wax and is poured in a reusable vessel. Maddox said the most popular scent is Baja Boho, but the shop carries holiday scents as well. R
Grateful Goat Farms is based in Lakebay on the Key Peninsula and makes goat milk soaps filled with aromatic essential oil blends. Maddox has even met Delilah, one of the goats who provides milk for the products. R
Holiday Happenings
For the holiday gala’s opening night on Nov. 9, Josephine’s Mercantile is serving up holiday treats, hot cocoa and apple cider, so it’s the perfect time to check holiday shopping off your to-do list. Plus, the first 100 guests will receive a gift valued at $20. Patrons waiting to go inside will be able to enjoy festive live music outside and inside Revival.
To prepare for the big day, Josephine’s Mercantile closes for a few days while the vendors scurry to transform the shop into a holiday shopping extravaganza. Many of the vendors swap out their products with holiday-themed ones. The rest of the weekend is filled with shopping events and classes hosted by a variety of local makers.
“People line up about an hour and a half before we open our doors so they can be the first in to see what’s new for Christmas,” Smith said. “Since we are vintage at Josephine’s, it’s usually one-of-a-kind.”
Among the much-anticipated vintage collectibles waiting to find a new home is a 1962 midcentury aluminum Christmas tree. Covered in shiny, metal branches, this style is also known as “atomic” due to its metallic Space Age feel. The one Smith has for sale even has all of its branches, making it a rare find, she said.
Across the street at Revival, Maddox prepares the shop with a few trees, large light installations and other festive decorations.
On opening night, the shop will be open late and host an “open house,” where staff share samples of different products, such as artisan syrups and jellies. Maddox said they return to regular hours the next day and plan to do a big sale throughout the weekend. Later in December, the shop will host The Local an extra day, so shoppers can visit Dec. 2-3 for a two-day vendor event.
For upcoming events at both Revival and Josephine’s Mercantile, check out their Facebook pages and websites.
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