diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ffcb664..432f479 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ Optional:
 
 ```bash
 python -m shellshop --merchant-name "Sats & Supply"
+python -m shellshop --config sample.yaml
 python -m unittest
 ```
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 40bfca3..1f8340e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ authors = [
 ]
 dependencies = [
   "textual",
+  "PyYAML",
 ]
 
 [project.scripts]
diff --git a/sample.yaml b/sample.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b7266f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sample.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+merchant:
+  name: BitPolito Shop
+  headline: Custom terminal storefront
+  location: Torino , Italy
+  promise: We sell custom things
+catalog:
+  - sku: item-01
+    name: BitPolito T-shirt
+    tagline: A very custom item
+    description: Blue T-shirt 
+    category: Tshirt
+    price_sats: 100000
+    stock: 5
+    features:
+      - Custom feature 1
+      - Custom feature 2
+
+  - sku: item-02
+    name: BitPolito Cap
+    tagline: Cap hat with cow logo
+    description: White Cap 
+    category: hat
+    price_sats: 50000
+    stock: 15
+    features:
+      - Custom feature 1
+      - Custom feature 2
+
diff --git a/shellshop/__main__.py b/shellshop/__main__.py
index 07cb7c7..0f3142b 100644
--- a/shellshop/__main__.py
+++ b/shellshop/__main__.py
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ def build_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         "--merchant-name",
         help="Override the demo merchant name shown in the storefront.",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--config",
+        help="Path to a YAML configuration file containing the merchant profile and catalog.",
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--version",
         action="version",
@@ -25,7 +29,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     args = build_parser().parse_args()
     from .app import run
 
-    run(merchant_name=args.merchant_name)
+    run(merchant_name=args.merchant_name, config_path=args.config)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/shellshop/app.py b/shellshop/app.py
index 4eec319..a57e623 100644
--- a/shellshop/app.py
+++ b/shellshop/app.py
@@ -9,14 +9,15 @@
 from textual.app import App, ComposeResult
 from textual.containers import Vertical
 from textual.widgets import Static
+from textual.containers import Container
 
 from .catalog import demo_catalog, demo_merchant, format_price_sats
 from .store import StoreState
 
 LOGO = r"""
   ▄█████ ▄▄ ▄▄ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▄▄    ▄▄    ▄█████ ▄▄ ▄▄  ▄▄▄  ▄▄▄▄
-  ▀▀▀▄▄▄ ██▄██ ██▄▄  ██    ██    ▀▀▀▄▄▄ ██▄██ ██▀██ ██▄█▀
-  █████▀ ██ ██ ██▄▄▄ ██▄▄▄ ██▄▄▄ █████▀ ██ ██ ▀███▀ ██
+   ▀▀▀▄▄▄ ██▄██ ██▄▄  ██    ██    ▀▀▀▄▄▄ ██▄██ ██▀██ ██▄█▀
+█████▀ ██ ██ ██▄▄▄ ██▄▄▄ ██▄▄▄ █████▀ ██ ██ ▀███▀ ██
 """.strip("\n")
 
 HOST_FINGERPRINT = "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIGhvc3Qta2V5LXNhdHMtcHJpdmFjeS1ub2Rl"
@@ -59,22 +60,41 @@ class StorefrontApp(App[None]):
         background: ansi_default;
     }
 
+    #hero-container {
+        width: 100%;
+        height: auto;
+        min-height: 14;
+        align: center middle;
+    }
+
     #hero {
-        height: 14;
+        height: auto;
+        min-height: 10;
+        width: 100%;
+        max-width: 108;
         border: heavy #f7931a;
         background: ansi_default;
         color: #f6e7c6;
+        content-align: center middle;
+        text-align: center;
         padding: 1 2;
     }
 
+    #container-for-tabs {
+        width: 100%;
+        height: auto;
+        min-height: 3;
+        align: center middle;
+    }
+
     #tabs {
         height: 3;
+        width: 100%;
+        max-width: 80;
         border: round #2f8f83;
         background: ansi_default;
         color: #88d0c6;
         content-align: center middle;
-        text-align: center;
-        margin: 1 0 0 0;
     }
 
     #main {
@@ -92,7 +112,8 @@ class StorefrontApp(App[None]):
     }
 
     #content {
-        width: 108;
+        width: 100%;
+        max-width: 108;
         height: 1fr;
         border: heavy #f7931a;
         background: ansi_default;
@@ -101,7 +122,8 @@ class StorefrontApp(App[None]):
     }
 
     #status {
-        height: 6;
+        height: auto;
+        min-height: 6;
         border: round #577283;
         border-subtitle-align: center;
         background: ansi_default;
@@ -111,7 +133,8 @@ class StorefrontApp(App[None]):
     }
 
     #bindings {
-        height: 2;
+        height: auto;
+        min-height: 2;
         background: ansi_default;
         color: #d8e9f3;
         padding: 0 1;
@@ -143,8 +166,10 @@ def __init__(self, store: StoreState) -> None:
 
     def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
         with Vertical(id="frame"):
-            yield Static(id="hero")
-            yield Static(id="tabs")
+            with Container(id="hero-container"):
+                yield Static(id="hero")
+            with Container(id="container-for-tabs"):
+                yield Static(id="tabs")
             with Vertical(id="main"):
                 with Vertical(id="content-wrap"):
                     yield Static(id="content")
@@ -443,8 +468,19 @@ def render_bindings(self) -> Text:
         return text
 
 
-def run(merchant_name: str | None = None) -> None:
+def run(merchant_name: str | None = None, config_path: str | None = None) -> None:
     """Start the Textual storefront app."""
 
-    store = StoreState(merchant=demo_merchant(merchant_name), products=demo_catalog())
+    if config_path:
+        import sys
+        from .loader import load_yaml_catalog
+        try:
+            merchant, products = load_yaml_catalog(config_path)
+        except ValueError as e:
+            print(f"Error loading configuration: {e}")
+            sys.exit(1)
+        store = StoreState(merchant=merchant, products=products)
+    else:
+        store = StoreState(merchant=demo_merchant(merchant_name), products=demo_catalog())
+        
     StorefrontApp(store).run()
diff --git a/shellshop/loader.py b/shellshop/loader.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3223f1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shellshop/loader.py
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+"""YAML catalog loader for ShellShop."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import yaml
+from typing import Any
+
+from .catalog import MerchantProfile, Product
+
+
+def load_yaml_catalog(path: str) -> tuple[MerchantProfile, list[Product]]:
+    """Load and validate a merchant profile and catalog from a YAML file."""
+    
+    with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+        try:
+            data = yaml.safe_load(f)
+        except yaml.YAMLError as e:
+            raise ValueError(f"Failed to parse YAML configuration: {e}")
+            
+    if not isinstance(data, dict):
+        raise ValueError("Root of YAML configuration must be a dictionary.")
+
+    merchant = _parse_merchant(data.get("merchant"))
+    products = _parse_catalog(data.get("catalog"))
+
+    return merchant, products
+
+
+def _parse_merchant(data: Any) -> MerchantProfile:
+    if not isinstance(data, dict):
+        raise ValueError("Missing or invalid 'merchant' section in configuration.")
+
+    required_fields = ["name", "headline", "location", "promise"]
+    for field in required_fields:
+        if field not in data:
+            raise ValueError(f"Merchant profile missing required field: '{field}'")
+        if not isinstance(data[field], str):
+            raise ValueError(f"Merchant profile field '{field}' must be a string")
+
+    return MerchantProfile(
+        name=data["name"],
+        headline=data["headline"],
+        location=data["location"],
+        promise=data["promise"],
+    )
+
+
+def _parse_catalog(data: Any) -> list[Product]:
+    if not isinstance(data, list):
+        raise ValueError("Missing or invalid 'catalog' section, must be a list.")
+        
+    products = []
+    for i, prod_data in enumerate(data):
+        if not isinstance(prod_data, dict):
+            raise ValueError(f"Product at index {i} must be a dictionary.")
+            
+        identifier = prod_data.get("sku") or f"index {i}"
+
+        # Required string fields
+        for field in ["sku", "name"]:
+            if field not in prod_data:
+                raise ValueError(f"Product '{identifier}' missing required field: '{field}'")
+            if not isinstance(prod_data[field], str):
+                raise ValueError(f"Product '{identifier}' field '{field}' must be a string")
+                
+        # Optional string fields
+        for field in ["tagline", "description", "category"]:
+            val = prod_data.get(field)
+            if val is None:
+                prod_data[field] = ""
+            elif not isinstance(val, str):
+                raise ValueError(f"Product '{identifier}' field '{field}' must be a string or null")
+                
+        # Integer fields
+        for field in ["price_sats", "stock"]:
+            if field not in prod_data:
+                raise ValueError(f"Product '{identifier}' missing required field: '{field}'")
+            if not isinstance(prod_data[field], int):
+                raise ValueError(f"Product '{identifier}' field '{field}' must be an integer")
+                
+        # List of strings field (optional)
+        features_data = prod_data.get("features")
+        if features_data is None:
+            features_data = []
+        elif not isinstance(features_data, list):
+            raise ValueError(f"Product '{identifier}' field 'features' must be a list of strings")
+        for j, feature in enumerate(features_data):
+            if not isinstance(feature, str):
+                raise ValueError(f"Product '{identifier}' feature at index {j} must be a string")
+                
+        products.append(
+            Product(
+                sku=prod_data["sku"],
+                name=prod_data["name"],
+                tagline=prod_data["tagline"],
+                description=prod_data["description"],
+                category=prod_data["category"],
+                price_sats=prod_data["price_sats"],
+                stock=prod_data["stock"],
+                features=tuple(features_data),
+            )
+        )
+        
+    return products