BEL AIR, Md. — He has spent decades as a true American picker, and Michael Stafford is now turning his passion into a business with the opening of Rocky’s on Main Mercantile & Antiques in Bel Air.
The store is named in honor of a chocolate lab Stafford and his wife, Tammi, had for a dozen years.
“He passed away,” said Stafford, “He was kind of my wife’s best friend so when I was looking at this place and trying to figure out what to do, I just threw out, ‘What if we call it Rocky’s on Main?’, and that drew her in so it’s kind of like a secret weapon to get her on board.”
The items span the spectrum of history, from politics and popular culture to sports and iconic brands with a local touch.
No junk here says Stafford.
He seeks out items in top condition.
“It’s not your average antique store where there’s just stuff piled up,” said Stafford. “I feel like it’s handpicked items by me that I’ve carefully placed to make the place look cool, but also I want it to be a place where you can shop and buy something reasonable.”
For her part, Tammi Stafford has helped add to the store’s offerings with products, crafts, and the like from local artists, but antiques drive the store, and she says that means her husband won’t be holding on to the treasures he’s found.
“If he has it, it’s for sale,” she assured us.
It’s a business model built out of the eclectic interests of a man who can discern artifacts from junk, where the bottom line reaches well beyond a historic cash register that, of course, carries a price tag on it as well.
“It’s not just about people buying stuff,” said Stafford. “It’s coming in and having a good time and having an experience. You know we’ve got couches. You can sit down and hang out and talk to me and have a good time.”
