Mimi’s on Main and The Mercantile

Both Mimi’s on Main and The Mercantile carry a large selection of furniture, home decor, antiques, gifts, glassware and clothing. Prices range from under $10 for small gift items to $1,295 for a marble dining table. The stores also carry a number of product lines from local and nearby artisans.

Charlene Payne, the manager at Mimi’s on Main, said the stores have become a big draw for out-of-town visitors. It is not uncommon for customers to come in from out of the state or even out of the country.

“You would not believe how many people come here from [out of town],” Payne said. “They come here on vacation because Conroe has become a destination. I’ve been here for 37 years, and I am just totally blown away. We’re no longer just little Conroe.”

Like many of the antiques inside, the store’s building carries a long history. Before Burke opened her store, the building had been in the Muse family since 1919. The Muse family has since been incorporated into the store’s name.

“My grandchildren call me Mimi, but when I was looking to [move into the building] I met with Hershey Muse,” Burke said. “I told him what I was going to name the store, and he told me his grandmother’s name was Mimi Ferguson. So I guess we were supposed to be here.”

Burke said she travels to markets in Dallas and Atlanta to source most of the items in the stores. She also works with antiques dealers who bring in different items for all tastes and styles.

“When people come in, we want [the stores] to have a hometown feel so they can stop in and just visit,” Burke said. “It’s a fun experience.”