Treasure Hunting on the Waterfront

It is well known that St. Marys loves her military families. And with good reason. When people visit their loved ones based at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, they discover the magic of St. Marys and often move here or plan to retire here. Such is kind of the case for Karen Streiff and her brother Gregory Spencer.

They had an idea that Karen’s son (new to the Navy) might be fortunate enough to get a Kings Bay Naval Submarine assignment. They were taken with the charm and pleasurable lifestyle of Coastal Georgia. Little did they know that they would be relocating here and going into business here as well. That’s where Pamela Jones (former proprietor of The Merry Mermaid) comes in. Karen visited the store, a conversation was started, and now the new owners of The Merry Mermaid are enjoying their own customers who frequent the store location just a few steps from the St. Marys waterfront.

Karen has experience with estate sales and eBay trading and has a sharp eye for spotting treasures that display well in a retail environment. The store was already filled with a plethora of antiques and collectibles, but the brother/sister

duo are adding their own stock and have a vision for enhancing the store even further.

“We’re going to create different themed rooms,” Karen said. “One will be just for children, a nautical room (of course), a parlor room with antique furnishings and distinctive décor pieces, and the back room will feature farm-centric items.”

A walk through the Merry Mermaid is like taking a treasure hunt with tons of items telling their unique stories— colorfully and joyfully. It just makes you want to “sit a spell” to take it all in, soaking up the smells and whispers of times gone by.

Karen is passionate about maintaining an inventory that includes something for everyone.

“We hope people will come in searching for that one hidden treasure, and we make sure that there are plenty of treasures to be found for people of all ages and interests,” Karen said.

There are numerous Mermaid-related items to pay off the whimsical name, and plenty of coastal, retro, out-of-the-ordinary finds that are sure to jump off the shelf and into the hands of some lucky shopper.

There are lots of interesting food products as well that visitors love to take home as a souvenir of our beloved South.

The brother/sister duo are very pro-military and offer a special military discount every day.

As one customer put it in their review on Facebook, The Merry Mermaid has some really “cool” stuff.

Editor’s Note: The Merry Mermaid is located at 112 Osborne Street. You can find them on Facebook, or call them at 760-213-0551.

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