Today we’d like to introduce you to Joe and Jameson Johnson.
Hi Joe and Jameson, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Mythic Mercantile’s story is a testament to a side quest becoming the main adventure. For years, we’ve been running our passion project at conventions and online. When we moved to the Twin Ports, we had a different vision—a coffee shop. However, high startup costs and building issues proved to be a significant obstacle, leading to a strategic pivot.
We decided to put our energy into the business we knew best. We found a home for our pop culture brand and placed our coffee shop dream on the back burner. In a world that often feels too serious, we’ve found immense joy in bringing nostalgia to the forefront.
We look forward to the future, where we will unite these two worlds by creating a permanent home that can house both Mythic Mercantile and the coffee shop of our dreams. It will be a unique space where people can find a rare piece of their past and connect with a like-minded community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ultimately, our greatest challenge (and strength) lies in our three-person team. Having to do it all ourselves has been an exhaustive learning experience, but it’s also our greatest advantage. Our combined skills in operations, business management, and marketing are the perfect complement to our son Connor’s insights into social media and brand presence. The challenges of starting and running this business have made us stronger and more determined than ever.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Mythic Mercantile?
What is “Mythic Mercantile”? Look, we’re basically a professional nostalgia retrieval service. We specialize in unearthing the kind of vintage action figures and collectibles that have been haunting your dreams since childhood. From Star Wars to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Masters of the Universe to Transformers, if it’s a toy that an adult probably has a shrine to in their basement, we’re the ones who find it. Our reputation is built on our ability to locate those incredibly hard-to-find items from back in the day, because if you’re going to dive headfirst into your childhood, the stuff you forgot you loved…. we remembered.
What sets us apart? Other places might sell old toys. We’re basically running an archive for your childhood. We treat every action figure like a piece of pop culture history, because let’s be honest, it is. Beyond the inventory, our team is just as obsessed as our customers. We’re all here because we’re huge fans of the same stuff. We’re not just selling products; we’re selling that very specific, very awesome feeling of finding your grail.
The thing we’re most proud of is that we get to find homes for so many pieces of pop culture history. We’ve built our brand around the stuff we obsess over—from the heroes in tights & capes to the turtles who ate pizza and fought crime. Our eye-catching logo and quirky merch represent purveyors of Mythic Merch. We offer the thrill of discovery and the joy of a good find, and we’re pretty sure you’ll feel right at home with a community that still takes cartoons seriously.
It’s ridiculous, it’s incredibly fun, and we get a front-row seat to all that pure, uncut nostalgia.
Come visit us. Your inner child will thank you.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Mythic Mercantile is a testament to what a shared passion can build. Years ago, we were simply a team of vintage goods dealers, but without a genuine connection to what we were selling. It wasn’t until we leaned into our own love for collecting and connected with the local collector community online that we found our true purpose.
A huge amount of credit goes to the three of us—Joe, Jameson, and Connor—for endlessly pushing and critiquing each other to get the brand where it is today. We also couldn’t have done it without the tireless support of our family and friends who believed in our vision from the beginning, and the folks at the Miller Hill Mall for giving us an opportunity to test our concept as a pop up shop. Finally, and most importantly, we owe it all to the incredible community of collectors. Your support, shared stories, and love for these pop culture artifacts have made Mythic Mercantile what it is today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mythicmercantile.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mythic_merc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mythicmercantile
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mythic_merc
