When Felicity Jones and Mike Romig bought a vacant building in downtown Troy in 2013, with plans to turn it into a studio and retail store, they had no idea just how much work lay ahead.

They knew the building at 147 4th Street needed significant rehab — gutting the inside and removing another structure in the back to make way for a patio, to start — but the longer they worked, the more renovations they realized were needed. The project cost twice as much and took twice as long as they'd expected.

But the pair persisted.

"There were a lot of initial challenges, but it was important to us to provide a gathering space for people in the community," Romig said. "We wanted to fill a gap."

Three years later they opened Superior Merchandise Co., a coffee bar and retail space that features an assortment of products from small businesses. The shop also serves beer, wine and food items and hosts live music sessions and events.

The Times Union talked to Jones and Romig about the beginnings of Superior Merchandise Co., their love for the Troy community and a roastery they plan to open in the future. Answers have been edited for space and clarity.

Q: Why Troy?

A: When we moved to the Capital Region 10 years ago, we wanted to live in downtown Troy. There was this budding creative community and it was a place where young creatives could wrest control over what was happening. The area is very walkable and easy to get around, and while we were working on the building people would stop by and say hello. Since then, it's grown a lot — new restaurants and shops are constantly opening.

Q: Why did you decide to include a retail component at the shop?

A: Originally we were going to turn the building into a graphic design studio for Felicity with a retail shop, but we wanted to offer a gathering space for the community and people don't spend much time with retail. We wanted to be more of a destination, to give people more than one reason to come here. Coffee was a way to do that.

Q: How do you choose which businesses to feature?

A: Jones: It's basically all the things that I love. Supporting makers, artists and small businesses is also very important to us. Many of the products we feature are from a single business owner or an artist. We also listen to feedback from the community on what they like.

Q: What advice do you have for other young people wanting to launch their own business?

A: You can't pre-plan. There are so much challenges, and you have to be fully committed. You have to sacrifice because everything takes a backseat to the business. There are no short cuts or loopholes; you have to put in the work.

Q: What's next?

A: We're planning to convert a carriage house behind the shop into a roastery. Our director of coffee, Matthew Loiacono, has coffee buying and roasting experience and we want to add to the region's coffee scene. We plan to sell wholesale beans to other businesses and cafes. There's no timeline, but that is our next big thing.

miszler@timesunion.com • 518-454-5018 • @madisoniszler