TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hernando Today

Great Stuff!

ADVERTISEMENT

By JODY BOWES

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: August 8, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - It's like eBay has jumped out of your computer screen and materialized before your very eyes. It's like your Grandma's attic - if she maybe lived to be 150. Cathy Mercogliano, owner of Brooksville's 'Great Stuff,' says she has a lifelong passion for collecting and trading oddities and antiquities. Her store is a living testament to the fruits of such devotion. "I love the thrill of the hunt and find," she says.

The business began from her vast personal collections, and includes everything from a 14-foot flamingo to laser discs to local crafts to the more obvious collectibles and antiques. "And way too many tchotchkes!" adds Mercogliano. The Web site lists many more items. She also feels her enterprise keeps a lot of eclectic items out of local landfills. "We give new life to old items, finding them homes and often new uses," she states.

Three blocks south of the Brooksville courthouse, the Great Stuff establishment includes buildings on both sides of South Main Street. Opposite the main store is a lawn displaying outdoor items, an eBay room, furniture storage and the Artists Gardens thrift store. One building has open space that Mercogliano hopes will someday be an artist's co-op.

A large oak tree presides over the end of Early Street, whose brick paving runs alongside several Great Stuff buildings. Mercogliano wants local artists and others to make more use of this area. "We are always looking to help other people in business," she says. "We will provide free space to a local artist or crafter who can set up an art and craft show which we would hold on Main and Early Streets under the grandfather oak. We also want a plant and/or produce vendor. The Good Neighbor Trail is looking better all the time. If someone wants to provide a service to bicyclists, we welcome their ideas."

Mercogliano wants to create a village atmosphere and welcomes ideas from the community. "We work towards this goal every day," she says. "We want to be the 'Webb's City' of Brooksville." Webb's City was a hugely successful economic area of St. Petersburg from the 1920s through the 1970s. At its height it included over seventy stores and spanned seven city blocks.

Manager Stephanie Riggs says she learns something new every day while gingerly maneuvering through the lanes and aisles of the Great Stuff miscellany. "I've learned a lot about antiques," she states, "and Cathy's a lot of fun." She says they frequently re-arrange their inventory, keeping everything dusted and accounted for. Each item is meticulously labeled with a description and price and is inventoried in their computer system.

Jim Crowley manages the growing eBay segment of Great Stuff for Mercogliano, who says selling world-wide has helped keep them profitable in difficult economic times. Riggs adds that their Internet advertising plus people Mercogliano meets in her travels brings-in customers from all over the world, whom she loves meeting.

Mercogliano and her staff are committed to supporting their community and promoting Brooksville. "September is our 12th anniversary here," she explains. "Rain or shine our doors stay open. We have a responsibility to our employees and customers. It's important they know we are and will be here for them. We are grateful to the local customers who have kept our business afloat." She says she touts Brooksville wherever she travels, and networks with other enterprises who in turn refer business to her.

Their recent collaboration with Artists Gardens is another way Great Stuff is making a positive community impact. Artists Gardens and Stable of Masaryktown ( www.agsfarm.com) is a day training center for developmentally delayed adults. Great Stuff pays half their rent, all the utilities and contributes items to their thrift store.

"Artists Gardens and Great Stuff invites the community to visit their thrift store and see first hand how they are learning skills to increase their independence and expand their life experiences," says Mercogliano. The thrift store accepts donations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Customer Janet Tanner says, "I know eBay is great, but there's nothing like the excitement of being physically surrounded, your senses bombarded by seemingly endless visual treasures, never knowing what your eyes will discover next."

Mercogliano adds, "Our customers are tactile, to say the least."

Mercogliano says, "We provide local residents and visitors a place to shop for treasures or just escape. Every nook and cranny is an adventure. We love watching the jaws drop when new customers walk through the door." She adds that she has enjoyed watching the children of local customers grow up. "Now they visit Great Stuff as teenagers. They usually bring a crew of their friends to see how much great stuff we have."

Great Stuff is open every day of the week. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (many days they are open by 8:30 a.m.), and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

Biz at a glance:

Name - Great Stuff

Location - 503 S. Main Street, Brooksville

Get in touch - 352-799-6655 or 2muchgreatstuff@bellsouth.net

Web site - www.toomuchgreatstuff.com

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT