Mary Ginocchio (pictured at left) opened Mulberry & Lime 25 years ago. Today she and her daughter, Annie Marcum (right), run most of the day-to-day operations. Photo by Madylin Goins
In 1909, Italian immigrant Hannibal Buchignani owned a neighborhood meat market on North Limestone while raising six kids in a tiny upstairs apartment. One afternoon he strolled across the street to the Matthew Kennedy House, which was being auctioned off. Upon his return to the shop, his wife asked who bought the old place. “We did!” he told her.
More than a century and five generations later, the home remains in the family. It was eventually passed down to Mary Ginocchio, who opened the boutique Mulberry & Lime in 2001.
Twenty-five years later, Mulberry & Lime is still a favorite destination for home furnishings that blend timeless elegance with modern sensibility. For owner Mary Ginocchio and her daughter, lead designer Annie Marcum, the quarter-century celebration is as much about family and history as it is about interior design. They will mark the milestone with a series of celebrations in the months to come.
Mulberry & Lime occupies the historic Matthew Kennedy House, a stately structure built around 1815. Kennedy, known best for his classical-style buildings, designed the house as his primary residence, incorporating details that have inspired generations. Today, the building not only provides an exceptionally homey backdrop for the store’s varied displays but also acts as Mary’s home.
“I grew up in this house,” Annie Marcum says, from the newly remodeled design room of Mulberry & Lime. “I’m the fifth generation in our family to have lived here. My mother and I both really did grow up with this building around us, and we get to share it with our customers every day.”
With bed linens, furniture, tabletop items, gifts, jewelry, bath products and even a section of curated children’s toys forming the backbone of the store’s offerings, Mulberry & Lime has offered more than home furnishings since its inception. Recently, the shop expanded its services to include full-scale interior design consultations.
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The shop’s inventory features a variety of beautifully designed textiles, linens and home furnishings. Interior design services are also available. Photo by Madylin Goins
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The shop’s inventory features a variety of beautifully designed textiles, linens and home furnishings. Interior design services are also available. Photo by Madylin Goins
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The shop’s inventory features a variety of beautifully designed textiles, linens and home furnishings. Interior design services are also available. Photo by Madylin Goins
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The shop’s inventory features a variety of beautifully designed textiles, linens and home furnishings. Interior design services are also available. Photo by Madylin Goins
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The shop’s inventory features a variety of beautifully designed textiles, linens and home furnishings. Interior design services are also available. Photo by Madylin Goins
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The shop’s inventory features a variety of beautifully designed textiles, linens and home furnishings. Interior design services are also available. Photo by Madylin Goins
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The shop’s inventory features a variety of beautifully designed textiles, linens and home furnishings. Interior design services are also available. Photo by Madylin Goins
“We do everything from window treatments and space optimization to lighting, floors and tile,” Marcum explained. “It’s almost a full-service design experience now. And of course, we still do wedding registries and curated tabletop collections.”
Marcum’s design aesthetic leans toward a maximalist English style with modern twists, often blending new furnishings with vintage and even some antique pieces. This approach has drawn a diverse clientele, balancing the tastes of younger and older generations alike.
“People sometimes come to us specifically for my opinion, sometimes for my mom’s,” Marcum said. “It’s an interesting dynamic, and it works really well for our team approach.”
Reflecting on her own path to the family business, Marcum said she initially resisted the idea of working in the store, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. But after working briefly elsewhere for a year, she came on full-time in 2020, embracing the opportunity to blend her business skills with her passion for design. “Every class I took in college, I kept relating it back to the store,” she said. “It was like I couldn’t escape the fact that this is where I needed to be.”
“I don’t think a lot of people get to spend this much time with their child, once they’re of a certain age and independent,” Ginocchio said of working with her daughter. “I really feel fortunate that I get to see her most days. I’m not going to say it’s always a smooth ride, but we work through it. It’s really rewarding, for sure.”
Mulberry & Lime also regularly participates in Lexington’s Gallery Hop, exhibiting work from local or locally affiliated artists like Kim Comstock, Debbie Gravis, Nori Hall and Lori Larusso on the shop walls as well as in a small gallery space upstairs. The store also offers workshops and design consultations, further cementing its role as a cultural and creative hub for the community.
This is essential, because like Ginocchio, many of the business owners in the area don’t just work in the neighborhood, they also live there — which is not the case everywhere. The business has become less about building an economy and more about building a community, Ginocchio said.
“Three different families [of neighborhood business owners] have kids under the age of two,” she added. “It’s so nice to see another generation coming along.”
As Mulberry & Lime marks a quarter-century, the store embodies the enduring appeal of blending history, design and family legacy. From Hannibal Buchignani’s bold auction purchase to Annie Marcum’s modern design sensibilities, the shop continues to evolve while honoring the layers of history that molded it.
For visitors, the anniversary is an invitation not just to explore home furnishings but to step into a living piece of Lexington’s past. With its blend of historical architecture, contemporary design and community engagement, Mulberry & Lime stands as a testament to the enduring value of family, creativity and preservation.
This year’s 25th anniversary celebration aims to honor both the store’s legacy and the home’s historic roots. Mulberry & Lime is hosting a series of four tour dates spotlighting Matthew Kennedy’s architectural contributions to the region. Led by Kennedy expert Wes Francis, the tours will visit multiple Kennedy-designed sites in the area, where Francis will educate attendees about the architect’s work and highlight the features that make these buildings remarkable.
All tours are ticketed events. The tour schedule currently includes an April 12 event at Mulberry & Lime, with tea provided by Lexington Tea & Brie. The full schedule will be announced soon.
Beyond architecture, the anniversary underscores a broader mission: promoting the preservation and health of historic homes.
“Living in a historic home comes with responsibilities,” said Marcum. “Part of what we want to do is show people how important it is to maintain these structures not just for history, but for community.”
Mulberry & Lime will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a series of tours at various locations in the region designed by Matthew Kennedy, who designed the historic building that houses the shop. Photo by Madylin Goins