Watermelon, mango, and lychee sour gummy bears in bright pink packaging. A “little feminist” picture book celebrating 25 historic women. Hearty sourdough sugar-and-spice pretzel bites. A 24-piece wild rainforest floor puzzle.
These are among Margot’s approved products offered at Margot’s Mercantile, a new specialty store in the heart of Goshen. The shop was named after owners Kristin and Nick Bograd’s four-year-old daughter. Her favorite products can be identified by a blue ribbon, both online and in-store, lining the fresh pink walls. It’s a spot for “crave-worthy snacks and gifts that bring joy,” including children’s toys and beauty goods.
The Bograds’ passion project hit a milestone on October 1 with the grand opening of their store, located at 170 West Main Street in Goshen, in the back of what Kristin calls “Orange County’s best-kept secret,” Cafe Yen.
When the couple first moved to the area, the first thing they did was search for local coffee shops. Originally from New York City, their standards were set high, and Cafe Yen didn’t disappoint. “It feels like home,” Kristin says about the cafe. “We just kept coming back because our child was welcome to be a child in the space, and we never felt rushed out. Even though people were working there, it felt like a space for all.”
When the opportunity arose to partner with Cafe Yen, the couple jumped at it. They sat down with the owner and pitched Margot’s Mercantile. From there, the Bograds hit the ground running. Individually, they each have 15 years of experience in the retail industry—Kristin in wholesale and Nick as a buyer, making their combined skill set ideal for running their own shop.
Before the pandemic, Kristin worked in the Empire State Building, selling wholesale apparel and footwear to major retailers for The Frye Company. Then, their daughter Margot was born in June 2020. Six months later, Kristin got a call from the company and severance. A few months after that, Frye filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. “I was lucky,” she says, looking back. After losing her corporate job, she leaned into being a full-time mom and started a consulting company with her husband Nick, working for two and half years for small, up-and-coming independent brands looking to launch into the wholesale space.
The family moved to Vermont and bought a house on 20 acres of land. Inspired by the small general stores there and the idea of “essential things” during the pandemic, the two started thinking about how to pivot out of their industries that were in jeopardy. They had the idea of “a small business that would nourish, feed, and contribute to a community.” The two say they “wanted to set down roots somewhere” and make this dream a reality. It was the perfect time to jump headfirst into something new.
Another move to the Hudson Valley, and the two fell in love with the town of Goshen. “Goshen is the type of place where you see kids running and riding their bikes around the village,” Kristin says. “It’s very bucolic. We just love it here.”
The strong family-friendly culture of the town, paired with their identities as parents, shaped the concept of Margot’s Mercantile—down to the assortment and how they engage with customers. The couple emphasizes the importance of high-quality products. “I wanted to bring in things that are not mass-produced, that are not at the grocery store—thoughtful brands using thoughtful ingredients and a process that is to be proud of and talked about,” Kristin says. “I read through every ingredient list. I read every vendor backstory.”
The seemingly smallest things matter, they say. For example, their dino bars have edible paper on the outside so the kids’ hands don’t get sticky. The gummy bears only have one gram of sugar and no artificial dyes. Their Poppy and Pout handmade lip balm is packaged with 100 percent recycled materials. “We have a modern mindset,” Nick says. “We look for products that give us that experience of having those sweet treats and savory things from when we were kids, but that have modern standards.”
“We want to nourish the community in multiple ways—mind, body, and spirit,” Kristin adds about their inventory.
Surprisingly, the Bograds only decided to pull the trigger less than a month before opening their doors, signing a contract with Cafe Yen owners in late August. “When we moved here, the first person we met said, ‘Oh, you're moving here. Well, welcome to slow-motion Goshen.’ Apparently that's what locals call it,” says Kristin. “Being from the city for so long, we are still learning to slow down, but when you're opening a business in less than a month, you have to be pedal to the metal.”
Finding that balance will take some patience for the family. But at the end of the day, they love what they do. “Any part of the business is all about relationships,” Nick says. “That’s why we’re excited for this opportunity—to really ingrain ourselves in the community. It’s really about supporting families, with healthy snacks and toys that inspire creativity. We’re tapping into something really special here, and I just hope we can harness it and hold onto it.”
Margot’s Mercantile is now open Tuesday through Sunday from 8am to 4pm. They have high hopes for a bustling holiday season, filled with community engagement and events to bring families together.
