As Valentine’s Day inches closer, here’s our next local power couple to share their love story with us: Mary Brockman, owner and operator of Kill Devil Hill, and Patrick Dacy, owner and operator of Duke’s Liquor Box, right next door to each other on Franklin Street. Mary has been building custom aprons, repairing denim, handcrafting candles, and offering a variety of locally made objects for the home for 5 years now. Patrick is her partner in life and in business, and is a seller of fine spirits, just recently launching Duke’s in September 2013.GP: How did you two meet?
Patrick: Our business relationship started 5 years ago when I sold Mary mens’ grooming products for resale at her new shop Kill Devil Hill, which became my first retail account in NYC.
Mary: At one of the Psychobilly Luaus, our booths were right next to each other; we had different lovers at the time we met and started working together professionally, but one thing led to another…!
GP: How long have you been together?
Patrick: 3.5 years.
Mary: More like 300 years. Soon after we “hooked up,” I had this crazy real dream that I was in a one-room log cabin in a bed embracing Patrick with a fireplace burning and huge quilts covering us; I told him about it in the morning, and then instantly felt lame telling someone that! But his response was, “Well, you know we have been together for much longer than just this.” Cue the chills running up my spine.
GP: When/why did you move to Greenpoint?
Patrick: Mary landed a retail storefront lease in Greenpoint (during crushing economic times, no less) while working for a window design firm also located in Greenpoint…and I moved to Greenpoint for Mary.
Mary: Man, I started working in Greenpoint what seems like forever ago, around 2001. At the time I would have never in a million years expected to own a business here! When I moved back to Brooklyn in 2008, somehow the forces of helping family members out aligned with opportunities for business, and my own shop surfaced and oddly fell into place. I was luckily and somewhat foolishly able to roll with it. I come from a family that moved every 2 years my whole life, so opening a business in Greenpoint became the first time I ever felt a part of a community and somewhat at home.
GP: What do you love about each other and about living/working together in Greenpoint?
Patrick: Mary is beautiful, creative, selfless, devoted, loyal, strong, funny, patient, hardworking, intelligent & a wonderful mother to our son Duke. I am very lucky. As for working together, we’re highly integrated counterparts to each other.
Mary: I mean, we have the best work/live situation ever!!! I would probably move out of the country if our lease ran out. Our apartment is in the same building as the shops, and our landlord is actually a good one!
For the love part, I love Patrick – no questions asked. There is no better partner, lover, or soulmate on the planet for me, and that would transfer to wherever we were.
GP: Where are your favorite date nights or romantic spots in the neighborhood?
Patrick: Two open bar stools in any uncrowded bar.
Mary: Patrick’s answer is true; we have had incredible nights everywhere and anywhere with a bar stool. Specifically, Capri Social Club holds a special place in my heart as a place where things have happened that are better left to beyond anyone’s imagination!
Thank you so much, Patrick and Mary!