AHHHH! YOU GUYS!! I cant even begin to tell you how overwhelmed with goodness I am after all of your wonderful, sweet, encouraging comments yesterday! I love that so many of you have stories about The Merc and I promise I’ll do my best to honor such a special place!! ?
Lets continue our story shall we?
When Court walk into the building he said and I quote “No way. This thing is a piece of CRAP!” I feel like I also need to add that I had disrupted his golf game multiple times the day before trying to talk to him about it. So he was already feeling a little judgy.
BTW, have I told you the story of what happened to finally make him realize that different is awesome? A few years ago he went to watch a fight at a super rich doctor’s house. It was the biggest house in the best neighborhood, something that in his mind equaled ultimate success. When he walked into our house after being there it felt different in a really great way, this house that he was “supposed to” want looked just like all of the beige small houses, it was just a more expensive version. He FINALLY got what I had been trying to tell him for years. Needless to say I felt super validated.
When he walked through the portal to heaven ???? and saw the brick side of the building he thought it was amazing. He loved the walls and the rafters and how spacious it was. I wish I could capture how huge it is but pictures just don’t do it justice. Court loved it, and it was in fact the only positive thing in his mind. Everything else was a negative. (And trust me when I say that unless you have permanent rose colored eyeballs like I do, there were/are A LOT of negatives.)
This was his thought process:
You’re crazy.
How is this ever going to look like a house?
This is going to be so freaking expensive.
Like so much money.
And be so much work.
Why can’t I have a normal wife that just likes to cook and do laundry?
I think its extremely obvious that I have the world’s most supportive husband. I don’t know how, or why but man I’m so thankful for him. When I knew that this was the direction we needed to go he told me “If you really want The Merc, you’re going to have to do everything in your power to make it happen so that I know that you are 100% committed, then I’ll be behind it.”
Which looking at the task ahead of us was somewhat like saying “Well, if you really want to go to Hawaii on vacation you’re going to have to swim across the ocean to get there. I’ll pick you up on the beach after I have a cushy first class flight and eat a can or 2 of Macadamia nuts, then we can check into the hotel and have a vacation.”
I mean, I know that he was probably hoping that I couldn’t pull it off but hello, he’s been married to me for 14 years, he knows how this is going to turn out.
There were a whole list of issues, and problems, and negatives that needed to be addressed and if at any point one wasn’t resolved the entire thing would crumble. In fact I’ve got a whole post coming next about allllll the issues, so if there is something specific you’re wondering about, leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer it!!
Looking forward to the process . . . good luck!
So exciting! It is hard to judge size from the pics. How many square feet and how tall to the rafters? I’m sure you’re getting there but I think I’m about as impatient as you are crazy !!! 😉
Wonderful !!
I’m getting more and more excited about this. I wanna hear about what it used to be since it sounds like lots of people from the area know about it. I can’t wait to hear your plans. Also, how do your convince Court to go along with your craziness?! I feel like I’m always getting shut down when I have crazy ideas because I can’t explain my vision (usually I just do it and I’m normally right)
Same here: what was “The Merc” before? (I’m from the other side of the world :-))
And… picture 1 and picture 2 in the previous post are the same building, front and back?!
Looks like a brilliant project!
I actually came to your page 6 or 7 times today because I’m so excited about watching this project unfold!!! Mandi you ARE truly fearless– I love it!!!!
ME TOO!
Oh my gosh, I’m so excited about this. SO many questions! Will you have a yard? Are there houses nearby or businesses? I’m so, so excited to follow along, it’s going to be so fun!
Is there a yard for the kids to play or is it total city?
First off – huge fan. Reader for years and years. The Nugget was like the spark to loving diy and design.
My biggest question is, isn’t it a commercial property? Near another commercial properties too? Like the legal-local housing issues side of making it residential isn’t easy but do-able (I work as a lobbyist so put me in coach and I’ll help!). So not to sound like a downer, but have you looked into that? I know it can be a real pain in be arse.
Pretty sure I am going to be stalking your page for updates, I’ve loved your blog for years (like a lotta years, pretty much from the beginning) but this is, by far, already my favorite thing.
Signed,
Fangirl
Is there any type of yard to play in out back? I’m a local to you so I’ve driven by this building, but never looked for any type of play area. My kids love being outside so that would be a deal breaker for me. But if it does, what a cool place to renovate!!
I am really hoping that you open a vintage revivals store/ workshop in the front and then the back is your home! Is this what you’re doing?!?!?!? ?????
Ooh..this is a great question. Why didn’t I think of this?!
This was my thought too!
That was my guess too!
I’m looking forward to read more about your new project! I have a lot of questions for you :
– I guess there’s a huge parking lot, what do you plan on doing with that?
– Normally, a commercial place doesn’t have a lot of natural light. Is it the same with this building?
– What is your timeline?
– Are you planning on finishing the house before moving in or are you going to move as soon as it is livable?
– Is there a lot of echo? What are you planning to do with it?
Can’t wait to read you!
Hi there, Australian fan following along here, I just wanna know what is a “merc”? 🙂
It is short for ‘mercantile’, which is another word for a general store 🙂 ?
I litterally had a dream about this house yesterday haha. I want to know how many sq feet it is. Are you going to use the whole building as your house? How much does a building like that cost?
I am so excited about this! And curious to know it all works when you’re buying commercial property and planning on making it your residence…are you planning on making one half a cute little shop or something commercial-y?? Or is it all going to be your new house?? And how does that work with residential/commercial zoning laws?
I am dyyying to know because I’ve always wanted to do something like this but thought it couldn’t be done! So pumped.
Soooo glad u didnt do that other house! Never felt right to me! Haha. My question is about the street. Is it a busy road? I always wonder about those living right on a busy loud road. I dont think i could do it. Love the questions about the yards as well, and the light i.e. windows. But i imagine u have so many tricks up ur sleeve. We ALL are DYING to hear he rest of the story… AND se pix. Lastly, i too would be a fan of a small shop of some sort! Go girl go! Btw, congrats for having the most amazing hubby!!!! ♡♡♡♡
Okay Sweets–you are walking the walk of your mantra–“Love Your Guts!” Take it on! It’ll be fantastic and frustrating and gratifying and overwhelming. Any way you slice it–it’ll be worth it. Life is for living–taking chances is what we do to keep on keepin’ on! Congratulations!
Can’t wait. 🙂
I’m so excited you’re doing this instead of a new build!
I had the same ‘this is supposed to be our HOME’ moment when I least expected it. I totally relate to the feeling that God placed something in your life, completely putting off the plan you thought you had all worked out! Things fell into place in ways we did not expect; it was certainly still hard work (and there’s plenty left to do), but so worth it!
I’d love to see a floor plan of the existing space, understand square footage, and get an idea of the feel of the neighborhood. How do you feel about the facade, and do you think you’ll change much about the exterior? It doesn’t shout, “welcome home!” to me right now, but I’m so eager to see how it develops. What do your older kids think about it?!
What an adventure! I’m curious how many square feet it is too. It looks enormous! I’m also curious to see what your plan is for heating/cooling. It looks like it would be so expensive to keep cool. Good luck and I can’t wait to see where this new path takes you.
You Rock!
You are both amazing!
Thank you for taking a leap of faith on a building that in all honesty, would have been reduced to rubble to build more cookie cutter homes. Thank you for revamping Santa Clara history. I have a hammer, shovel, and gloves if you need any help!
This looks so amazing. Congratulations!! Also, who cares if it’s on a busy road (I don’t know if it is)? I live on a busy road in one of the best cities on earth. No complaints. And even if it doesn’t have a yard (I don’t know if it does), big deal! It has more than enough indoor space to make up for it. You could have an indoor yard!
Any historical building restrictions/issues?
I can’t wait to read the next installment! I have the same question about location, square footage, commercial vs. residential zoning, etc. My other questions is this — The windows in the brick area look like they are covered by a wall or something. Is that just an illusion?
I’m so happy for you. It’s going to be the coolest house in Santa Clara, maybe southern Utah. What a blessing that you didn’t pull the trigger on the Book Loft, which I also love, but size does matter, and so much else in this case. If you’d like to open a vintage store/gallery/bakery on the other side—please count me in.
So cool! I love the exposed brick. Something I’ve been wondering (but didn’t want to be all negative about it): how are you going to insulate this place without covering the gorgeous brick and rafters?
You amaze me with your ingenuity, Mandy! I have no doubt you will turn the Merc into a remarkable home. I have the same questions many of the others have asked but I know you will find a way to take care of all those “minor” details! 🙂 Good luck and I as looking forward to following this project every step of the way!
Mandi:
If this is a commercial building, is there a lot of traffic in front? Are there residences nearby for the kids to make friends? Do you worry that people will try to visit your house because it is a historic commercial building?
Pam
Normal wife here Don’t like to cook or do laundry. I am not sure everyone does. Not sure that makes a wife normal. Clearly not comfortable with the joke
My husband is the male version of you. I point out the negatives just because I’m not sure he’s prepared for them at all, and then I find out he was, he just doesn’t care about the negatives because THE POSITIVES!!!
I can’t WAIT to see what you make of this. It’s a huge project, but when you guys pull it off? It will be insanely cool. Good luck!