Viral Facebook Post Puts Marcotte’s On the Map

Opening a new business in a developing district can be a dicey affair, especially when said business consists of giant pieces of old furniture and colorful plastic letters. 

But Jenni Martin and Chris Turcotte, owners of Marcotte’s Architectural Salvage & Repurposed Furniture, have fared pretty well since opening their West Bay Drive shop about six weeks ago.

The success can be attributed to an eclectic collection of original items and the ability to either refinish or help refinish old furniture. Oh, and a Facebook post that went viral didn’t hurt, either.

“I was debating whether to paint an old dresser or not, so I put a simple post on our Facebook page asking whether I should or shouldn’t do it,” Martin said. 

“Next thing I know, people started commenting from all other the country, weighing in with their opinions on what I should do with the piece.”

That “simple” social media post was viewed more than 4 million times, registered more than 135,000 comments and sparked a heated debate over the ethics of painting old furniture while putting Marcotte’s on the map.

“I never expected that kind of response,” Martin, the former owner of the White Elephant Exchange Antique Mall in Sarasota, said. “It’s pretty crazy.”

But that kind of passion for furniture is the fuel that drives Turcotte.

Where Jenni is all about the ‘how fast’ and ‘how much?’ aspect of the business, Chris is interested in ‘how long ago?’ and ‘by whom?’ when it comes to the old pieces.

“Jenni has been the catalyst for me getting into this business, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since,” the burly former nurse and current law enforcement official said. 

“For me it’s more than just about finding things. It’s about learning the history of things.” 

The couple met in August and after Martin sold the antique exchange in January, they decided to move to Largo and try to open their own business. 

Martin does much of the refinishing work while Turcotte locates pieces from sales and shops all over the area. Their shop is filled with antiques and a cool collection of knick-knacks, artifacts and yes, large letters.

“We can’t keep the letters in here, they sell so fast,” Martin said. “Someone wanted to buy the ones off the wall that make up our sign, but I said no.” 

The pair is excited to be a part of a community that they believe is on the verge of exploding; they joined the new Downtown Largo Merchants Association and participated in last weekend's sidewalk sale. 

“I came here 25 years ago and Largo always had this stigma attached to it, and I want to change that,” Turcotte said. “It’s not just a town on the way to the beach. It’s as a cool place with a lot of history.”

Of course having more than 4,000 Facebook followers could help their cause.

“We started our Facebook page two months before we opened, so that really helped get the word out,” Martin said. “Now we’re thinking we might need a bigger place!”

If You Go: Marcotte's Architectural Salvage & Repurposed Furniture

• Address: 426 West Bay Dr.
• Phone: 727-581-2065
• Hours: Mon - Fri, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sun, noon - 4 p.m.
• Website: www.facebook.com/marcottesflorida

Sign up for the Largo Patch email newsletter to get our top headlines delivered straight to your inbox so you won't miss a thing!