Do Goods Mercantile Company, Annie Persinger, Mobile

There is a really cool new general store in downtown Mobile called Do Goods Mercantile Company at 202 St. Michael Street! The brainchild of Annie and Christopher Persinger, they will celebrate the store’s first anniversary this month.

Annie is a Mobile native and is one of Jay and Kitty York’s six children. Christopher, or “Chops” as he is called, is from Chattanooga and went to Baylor School before attending Auburn, where the two of them met. Annie graduated with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies and Chops earned his degree in Geography.

They were married in 2009 and had their reception at Stewartfield on the campus of Spring Hill College, where her Dad played catcher for the baseball team, and Annie’s grandmother served as a campus nurse for many years. “It is a significant place for my family,” says Annie. They made Mobile their home after a brief stay in Chattanooga.

Christopher has worked at Southern Light, now Uniti Fiber, for several years. He moved around a bit within the company, including the mapping division, where he is now.  He spent some time in the Dark Fiber Unit, which sounds mysterious and is way over my pay grade.

Annie tells me that it has always been a great company to work for. Its founder, Andy Newton is well-regarded and unbeknownst to Annie and Chops, who picked up their dinner tab years ago, at Noble South as he was entertaining clients at dinner at another table. How great is that? Great enough for her to remember his generosity nearly a decade later. 

Annie and Chris have five children between the ages of 16 and 6, so Annie made the wise decision to be a stay-at-home mom. She does a little writing on the side, composing 30-day devotional pieces for Fairhope Direct.

Do Goods Mercantile began as an idea when Annie and Chris were trying to purchase Christmas presents from companies that had a quest to impact the greater good. For a couple of years, they sought out gifts from companies that were leveraging their businesses for the good of others through special mission-focused projects. “The list of “do-good” companies just grew and grew,” says Annie.

At the same time, they entered the adoption process after learning how and why so many children needed families. Annie tells me there are some 153 million children around the world who need loving and caring homes. “Children are without parents for lots of reasons. Sometimes the parents, while trying to support their families, face unthinkable exploitation and abuse. This often leads to separation. In so many cases, children are orphaned because of trafficking, poverty, or addiction.”

The adoption process increased their awareness of the generational impact of brokenness. They wanted to do more than just shop with these businesses that were addressing important and troubling issues. The idea of opening a store that supported these companies became a top priority “We wanted to create a place where we could support something we cared deeply about, and we wanted to draw the community in as well.”

One day, in 2021, Annie and Chris came across a building for sale in downtown Mobile. They believed it had potential and they purchased it and began the long process of renovation They also wanted to show their kids what it was like to flesh out a business idea and bring it to fruition. “We set out to launch a business that would convey our core principles of helping others.”

They hired a contractor, John Thomas at TMC Remodelers, who proved himself to be knowledgeable and dependable. They had tremendous help from Courtney Hilley, Creative Director at Bellum, along with her husband, Christian Hilley, photographer and graphic designer. Andy Scott with New Hand Signs hand painted the mural on the side of the building that reads “Good things are in store.” As the renovations were ongoing, Annie started reaching out to the companies she knew had products they wanted to carry and had a positive impact on addressing real issues.

When Do Goods Mercantile opened its doors in October 2022, it carried a wide collection of products, some local, some not, that were unique, fun, desirable, and were doing good around the world. The selection trends a little to the masculine side, but there’s a wide variety of goods with something for everyone.

Do Goods is an upscale general store. Annie was wise to include two very nice sitting chairs for shopping companions to enjoy. It was interesting to learn where some of the items were made and who was benefiting. She describes the process of  creating unique items to help others as a “layered way of doing good.”

One company employs women coming out of hopeless situations who make products from recycled plastic containers. Another recycles products and employs transitional housing residents. Matt Armbruster runs Ramson Ministries in Mobile, a program for men who are coming out of incarceration and homelessness. The list goes on.

I can see myself shopping for lots of gifts and hope to encourage my friends and family to remember  Do Goods Mercantile when shopping for me. Annie tells me a story about every item they sell. Each has been carefully researched, and it’s great stuff.  When I purchased a few things and checked out,   I received a card with descriptions listing the influence my gifts would have.

I saw lots of items that I would like at Do Goods Mercantile: BBQ Sauce, vintage briefcases, beautiful pocket knives, and leather goods, They even have trucker hats made by my nephew, Gabriel Hargett in Asheville, NC. His company, Oowee Products employs adults on the Autism Spectrum to make their leather products.

There are purses, blankets, dopp kits, candles, and overnight travel bags using repurposed military fabric from a company that supports military families. I bought Linda a pair of earrings and a “Waylon” candle from a selection of country music star legends’ scents. With the holiday shopping season almost here, you will find something unique and thoughtful all while helping others.

Annie tells me how supportive the community has been through the entire process of opening Do Goods Mercantile. “Mobile is resource-rich. We worked with the Innovation Portal and Mel Washington with the Small Business Development Center at South Alabama to help get the business launched.

“We are a mission-driven retailer,” she says. “By partnering with nonprofits, we get to educate our shoppers about the work they do, and they often, in turn, educate their supporters about what we are doing too. In the end, both of us get to grow our reach, and every time, without fail, we get to meet wonderful people.” She tells me that other local retailers that are more established have graciously sent their customers to come shop with us at Do Goods. “There is a generous spirit in Downtown Mobile.”

Each month, they host a walk/run at the store with a local nonprofit organization. “It’s open to anyone. People gather here for the run, then return to the store to shop and give the organization a chance to tell its own story. You can hear more about these events on Allison Gaillard’s podcast, “Run Your Story.”

As the first anniversary draws near, Do Goods has all of its items categorized on its website so you can see what they carry and how the item you purchase is making a difference in the lives of others. Better yet, stop by and visit. It’s fun, interesting, and a great way to purchase unique gifts with a great story behind them.

Best of luck, Annie and Chris! You have found a niche and are fulfilling your dream!