The name “Maison and Merchant Vintage Home” may sound a little exotic but visitors to the Dublin store at 215 E. Blackjack will find furniture, decor and items that is at once unique and familiar.
Owners Felicia and Robert Blair say that they’ve always maintained the French rustic aesthetic in their own home since they were married decades ago.
“It’s easy to pull off,” said Felicia. “Antiques can come from a lot of different areas.”
“We have a lot of different items that can cross over,” Robert added. “We have several customers [whose homes] have a Western look who find things that work with it.”
Felicia said they started the style in their own home by necessity.
“Starting out, you can’t buy a $1,000 couch,” she said. Fortunately, she learned from her mom to shop economically through yard sales and markets so she and Robert as newlyweds dressed up their first home in Eastland by buying unique items and reclaiming them through Felicia’s talent and Robert’s creativity.
They were already fascinated by the French provincial and country look so they decided to use it for theming.
They decided to start sharing their love of the history and artistry with customers with displays in antique malls and shows. They have been doing that for 30 years, but when they saw a building available in Tolar, they thought how wonderful it would be to live and work out of a renovated downtown building.
A family member of Felicia’s mentioned the building next to Dublin’s city hall was available when they brought it up. They decided it was the perfect space for their maison (the French word for home) and market.
They renovated the upstairs for living space while downstairs is arranged in vignettes to showcase the antique furniture, bedding, home decor, candles, handmilled soaps and more. The alleyway outside also showcases antique items to elevate a garden.
Felicia said first-time customers are often surprised by the store. “They’re not expecting to see vignettes,” she said. “We’re not just throwing it on a shelf and putting a price tag on it; we’re trying to show what it will look like in your home.”
Felicia said a lot of care went into the store with the outside displaying the soft blue seen across French villages and a table set up to invite people over.
The store strives to offer to fill a variety of needs from a small items like candles, French soap bars and items for display to tables, cabinets and antique bed frames. Felicia said they try to make everything affordable and invite people to bring pictures of their current decorations.
She has a few customers that have turned to her and her collection of magazines and books spanning decades (available for customers to peruse while visiting) to find items to complement and enhance their existing style.
Through their working relationships and markets, they will find and restore the perfect fit for someone’s home (and sometimes store) if they don’t have it on hand.
The Blairs credit other stores like Blessings and Texas Sage for what they offer to Dublin but the Home Maison and Merchant will be the signature spot for home furnishing and decor.
“Dublin is a beautiful little town with a lot of great history,” Felicia said. “We want to give it beauty. There are a lot of darling little homes around here that it would take so little [to elevate]. There’s so much potential here.”
Robert and Felicia said the community has been very welcoming since they opened June 1 and they’ve enjoyed getting to meet the people that have walked in.
Maison and Merchant is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (817) 718-5045. Gift certificates are also available.