The Merchant Marine is a private room in our shared family home, a historic Brooklyn townhouse rooted in the Weeksville legacy of Crown Heights. Located on the top (3rd) floor, the room is spacious and light-filled. Kitchens and bathrooms are shared & professionally cleaned daily. The kitchen is modest. For convenience, microwaves, mini-refrigerators, & coffee makers are provided in your room. We live here and are part of the rhythm of the house. This is a walk-up home with stairs-no elevators. The space This is our family home, a historic Brooklyn townhouse rooted in Weeksville—an area within present-day Crown Heights shaped by generations of leadership, education, and civic life. The streets here carry deep history, but what you feel most is continuity: a place where people have lived, gathered, and built meaningful lives for a very long time. Our home reflects that same spirit. It is shared, lived in, and thoughtfully cared for, with layers of history visible in both the space and the furnishings. Many pieces throughout the house have been passed down through our family, creating a grand-millennial aesthetic that feels warm, layered, and intentionally human rather than uniform or modern. This is a home with character, not a curated showroom. Conveniently located, the house is approximately a 10-minute walk to the A train or the 3 subway line (about 15 minutes to Manhattan) and two blocks from the Long Island Rail Road. Shops, museums, theaters, dining, and neighborhood life are all within easy walking distance. We live here and are part of the everyday rhythm of the house. Kitchens and bathrooms are shared, and guests are expected to care for their rooms day to day. This is not a hotel and not a luxury experience. It is a cooperative, community-oriented home where respect for shared space is part of the stay. As with many historic homes, ongoing care and improvement are part of stewardship. Periodic maintenance or repair work may occur as we continue to preserve the space, and we aim to communicate transparently when it does. Each room in our home is named in honor of leaders, educators, and builders connected to Weeksville—among them Shirley Chisholm—so the story of where you are begins at the door. This home is best suited for guests who value authenticity over polish, history over spectacle, and the feeling of living in Brooklyn rather than visiting it. If you’re looking for a pristine, hotel-style stay, this may not be the right fit. If you’re looking for a place with depth, continuity, and care, you’re welcome here. Guest access Follow the signs down the back staircase to the garden and patio. This secluded green space is yours to enjoy, ideal for morning or evening sips away from the bustle of Brooklyn. Guests have access to high-speed Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV in their room for streaming favorite apps with their own accounts. Each room also includes an Alexa device for music, time, weather, or setting alarms. During your stay We live on site and are part of the everyday rhythm of the house. Shared kitchens and bathrooms are professionally cleaned daily, and guests are responsible for day-to-day room care. For longer stays, we occasionally offer a complimentary room refresh or fresh linens as a courtesy, when available. We’re happy to help with non-urgent questions between 5:00 AM and 7:30 PM and will respond as soon as possible; for emergencies, please reach out at any time. We’re always glad to help while respecting your privacy. Other things to note Before you Book: Please read this carefully to ensure our home is the right fit for you. This is a shared, lived-in family home in a historic Brooklyn townhouse. Family members live on the first floor, and guests stay in private bedrooms on the upper floors. Kitchens and bathrooms are shared among guests and are professionally cleaned daily. Guests are responsible for the day-to-day care of their rooms. The kitchen is modest in size and intended for light use. Microwaves, mini-refrigerators, and coffee makers are provided in guest rooms for convenience. We live here and are part of the everyday rhythm of the house. This is a walk-up home with stairs and no elevators, and may not be suitable for guests with mobility concerns. As with many historic homes, ongoing care and occasional maintenance are part of stewardship, and we aim to communicate transparently if work is scheduled. +This home is best suited for guests who: + are comfortable with shared living + appreciate historic homes and their character value cleanliness, community, and affordability + are respectful of the home, staff, and others XThis may not be a good fit if you are seeking: X a hotel or luxury experience X private kitchens and bathrooms X daily in-room housekeeping X a silent or fully private environment If this description feels aligned, you’ll likely feel very at home here.