The Human Behind The Ink
Made With
Eight Arms.
Black Octopus Mercantile grew from local market tables, sketchbooks, and one artist’s devotion to the coast.
From scribbles to shirts.
Missy Johnson has worked in Charleston apparel and promotions for more than 30 years. Her process starts with a quick sketch, then becomes the graphic on a tee, hat, sticker, or souvenir you will not find on a shelf anywhere else.
What began as Park Circle Local Brand goods at neighborhood markets grew into Black Octopus Mercantile, an art-forward coastal brand with a home in Park Circle.
Not your generic souvenir.
Black Octopus designs pull from surf culture, Charleston characters, coastal animals, tattoo art, and the easygoing cool of the Lowcountry. The result is something personal enough for locals and memorable enough to take home.
Made for the neighborhood and beyond.
The designs have been recognized by the Charleston City Paper, worn by country music stars Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, and taken home by people coast to coast and beyond. Black Octopus Mercantile also worked with the Netflix TV show Outer Banks as a vendor, supplying stickers and apparel for set decoration.
But the soul of it stays right here: a friendly, artist-run shop in Park Circle.