When and where did you open your first shop or first retail situation? If it has evolved, or is still evolving, please explain how.

I opened as an online concept in the winter of 2017. It was very much an “I want to do this and will figure it out” situation, but I brought in some lines that weren’t in Kansas City and weren’t available in the United States yet, which helped tremendously with online visibility. As online shopping kind of transitioned back to people wanting to shop in a physical space, I was thinking of a pivot, but we got a call that our current space in the Crossroads’ Bauer Building was opening up, so in November 2023, my brother Barrett and I opened Mergers. It happened very quickly, but that has allowed us to learn, grow, and organically become what we are today.

We’re very excited to be expanding Mergers to the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles this October, which will definitely show an evolution of what Mergers is and will become.

Please tell me about the shop design, process, and who worked on it with you.

The shop came together very quickly in the beginning, and we’ve added elements as the years have passed. This Crossroads shop was very DIY—we worked with the bones that were here and sourced vintage pieces from some local favorites. The guys at the Bauer shop built us a custom cash wrap, and we’re lucky to have some amazing artist friends who frequently lend pieces to the shop. We’re excited to really lean into the upcoming LA shop design as a new era/evolution and then circle back to the Kansas City shop to bring that same vibe back into the fold.

Lastly, jump forward 25 years in your imagination and describe the most dreamy place/lifestyle you see yourself living, and what you’ll be wearing, eating, drinking, and doing.

I’ll be busy traveling! Surrounded by my people and my dogs, still wearing exactly what I want.