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A GRAND TOUR On the morning of our photo shoot, Link pointed out that the Magpies & Peacocks barista spot, now brewing Houston's small- batch roaster Zeppelin Coffee, was once an area where industrial sandpaper and grinding wheels were hawked. He traced the building's arc of ownership for us, including its most interesting chapter — the original one. Built in 1949, the two-story rock-solid edifice was headquarters for a storied, now defunct American paint brand founded after the Civil War in Louisville, Peaslee- Gaulbert Corporation. The building served as the firm's Houston flagship showroom and sales center for its line of Pee Gee Paints and home goods, as well as the company's distribution warehouse. Despite his pivotal role in purchasing and meticulously restoring 2910 McKinney over a five-year period, Link demurred from being photographed. But he did share his vision: "We knew that the building had good bones — bones worth preserving. This type of space is rare in Houston, and we believe in its potential to establish a community of creative groups. More importantly, we believe in the EaDo community, its history, and the importance of maintaining a critical part of its fabric. 2910 McKinney is both opportunity and responsibility." Tapping Mayfield as collaborator for Link's showroom-meets-maker's space concept was key to realizing this fresh chapter in the life of 2910 McKinney. Functioning as curator, Mayfield says, "The most challenging aspect of the project was carefully selecting the right mix of tenants to create a collaborative design ecosystem — one where each business could not only thrive individually but also support and elevate one another." The result redefines design in Texas via its unexpected pairings. Houston-founded creatives such as Magpies & Peacocks are in the same design center as international luminaries including Barcelona-based Nanimarquina handmade rugs. Houston design-resource Branch — which represents an acclaimed collection of flooring, textiles, furniture, and accessories including Kyle Bunting's handcrafted hair-hide rugs — is presented alongside Swedish-based Henzel Studio rugs, famed for its collaborations with contemporary artists ranging from Marilyn Minter to The Andy Warhol Foundation. "WE ARE PUSHING BOUNDARIES AND REDEFINING HOW A R C H I T E C T U R E , DESIGN, SHOWROOMS, AND GALLERIES COME TOGETHER." purchased the building. He was eager to get my thoughts on the space, and naturally, I fell in love with the building's incredible structure and potential." The project was not easy, requiring a staunch fiscal and time commitment; Link closed on 2910 McKinney in the spring of 2020, when COVID-19 was shutting down the world. "We purchased the property during a time that was specifically challenging," Link says. "As creative groups experienced a period of disconnection, collaboration suffered. But we are now experiencing a resurgence in demand for unique and amenity-rich creative spaces." During our tours for this story, almost 11 months apart, we watched 2910 McKinney morph from a hulking behemoth whose bricked-over windows gave the appearance of a doomsday fortress to the welcoming space shown in these images. When the new showroom and maker's space opens its restored doors this fall, design, fashion, and art seekers will experience a light-filled, brick- and-concrete space whose soaring interiors, distinguished by pristinely restored cement pillars and ceilings (most noticeably on the vast expanse of its second floor), would provoke envy in Tadao Ando. As we go to press, one entity at 2910 McKinney just had a soft opening: Magpies & Peacocks, a sustainable nonprofit devoted to fashion, and its fundraising coffee shop, MAKR Café, which are already welcoming shoppers Tuesdays through Saturdays. Magpies' Ahshia Berry gave us a preview. "In our new space," she says, "the retail and production areas are nestled into the really cool original 1,000-square-foot brick room toward the front of the building, with an elevated capsule retail area that showcases the nonprofit's upcycled wearable couture clothing and a display of jewelry and accessories as you enter." — Kelie Mayfield, founder, MaRS Culture and MaRS Mercantile From top: Sarah-Jayne Smith, Ahshia Berry at Magpies & Peacocks, 2910 McKinney. Henzel Studio's MaRS Culture Collection. Susan Plum's candelabras at 2910 McKinney. COURTESY MARS CULTURE (Continued on page 108) 92