Meet Alexandra Tamburro | Creator of Main Street Mercantile, Little Falls

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexandra Tamburro and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexandra, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My grandma is one of the greatest inspirations for Main Street Mercantile. The flower in the logo is Lily of the Valley, which is one of her favorite flowers and scents. When I was a young girl, I would often crawl in bed with my grandparents at night and wake to the smell of her Lily of the Valley perfume. I would spend the day at their shop, Gil’s, at Fay’s Mall in Ilion. I’d ride my tricycle around and visit all of the vendors. Sniff the different flavors of tobacco. Press the leftover dust from the key making machine between my fingers because it looked like glitter. When the day was done, I’d make her kick off her heels, put her feet up, and tell her to “belax.” We liked to relax and eat pomegranates. The flower is special to me and reminds me of where I come from. A symbol of connection between past, present, and future.

I wanted to create a space that feels like home and supports local artists. More than anything, I wanted to see our area do well. I wanted the people who live here, as well as visitors, to have a beautiful space they can visit to treat themselves, a loved one, or a stranger. A space to learn more about the arts, more about yourself, and more about each other. Community and connection.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
A few people I loved passed away over a short period of time while I was in college. My entire perspective on life changed and my priorities shifted. I ended up joining AmeriCorps NCCC and was sent all over the US doing different projects and relief work. One of my roles was to document each project through photography. This is where my relationship with the camera truly started to grow. I have been doing photography and disaster relief on and off ever since. My journey has brought me down many roads with different jobs and different skills. At the time, I had no idea how everything would come together, but I knew each step was important. After helping in St. John, USVI, following the devastating hurricanes, I returned to NY. While I was living in an apartment in Little Falls a storefront opened up down below. I jumped on renting it and spent a year renovating it. I’m sure people thought it wasn’t smart to renovate a shop that I didn’t own in the middle of the pandemic, but I felt that I knew it was going to work out somehow and regardless of what happened, I wanted to leave the space better than I found it. There were many challenges, starts and stops, which I took one at a time. I kept going and believing in my dream with the encouragement and help of dear friends and family. While renovating, I also started a community garden in Frankfort, a town near Little Falls, which provides access to free, healthy food as a way to counter food insecurity. After opening the shop and community garden, I met so many kind-hearted people and have been able to watch relationships and ideas bloom within the many communities around the area. Each part feeds the other in ways I never could have imagined. The best lesson I have learned is to keep believing in yourself and each other. And, as always, measure twice, cut once!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This area is known for its beauty! I would take friends on a hike in the Adirondacks. The mountains and rolling hills are stunning. In fact, I have an 8ft mural of the scenery, painted by Maria Vallese (Retro Sorrento), in the shop. For a more leisure stroll, we would check out Moss Island in Little Falls or walk part of the Empire State Bike Trail (a 750 mile trail that goes from NYC up to the Canadian Border, and West to Buffalo). For a quick breakfast, we’d go to Little Place on Main in Little Falls. A trip would not be complete without eating at Tailor and the Cook (Utica), Pellettieri Joes (Utica), and any of the delicious old-school bakeries or restaurants. Chicken riggies, tomato pie, long hots, and half-moons are a must try. A drink in the dungeon at Beardslee Castle (Little Falls) or The Renaissance (Little Falls) is always fun and part of the tour. I usually take visitors to Little Falls Diamond Co. to get a Herkimer/Little Falls Diamond for them to take home as a little piece of the Mohawk Valley. From Little Falls to Utica, there are numerous farmer’s markets, community gardens, and small shops to check out and support local.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh my goodness! There are so many to mention! A large portion of any goodness or success that has come my way is owed to my family and friends. They provide such a strong and supportive safety net. To know there are people who will celebrate the wins with you and catch you when you fall is a gift. I am wildly grateful to them and for them.

Website: https://www.mainstreetmercantilelittlefalls.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainstmercantilelf/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Main-Street-Mercantile-Little-Falls-100076131576515/

Other: Frankfort Community Garden:
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/p/Frankfort-Community-Garden-100083122992657/

Instagram:
@frankfortcommunitygarden

Image Credits
All images are my own.