Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/221556
HEATHER MAYO, SCOGIN MAYO, FACTORY GIRL ETHOS: SHAPING DALLAS' VINTAGE SCENE H eather Hayler Mayo, 37, and husband/ photographer Scogin Mayo are the proprietors behind Factory Girl, an establishment of hard-to-find vintage treasures and oneoff artwork. Searching out art across the country, the vintage shop rotates installation-based works with vintage fashion and accessories from designers such as Lanvin, Christian Dior and Oscar de la Renta, and features an impressive collection of authentic Japanese kimonos. While the primary focus is clothing, HaylerMayo's background as an artist gives the space its unique feel. Recent artists on display have included The Color Condition's Marianne Newsom and Sunny Sliger, plus work by Seth Damm of Neon Zinn. A new collaboration is a clothing collection with artist Lizzy Wetzel, which mixes shibori dying techniques with dresses and tees. THE BACKSTORY. Hayler-Mayo cut her teeth in retail at Forty Five Ten and takes inspiration from the late Shelly Musselman, whom she considered a mentor. While busy curating and managing the Factory Girl space, Hayler-Mayo juggles work with raising three children (Savannah, 16; Stella, 11; and son Charlie, 9), coordinating with husband Scogin to keep everything running smoothly. But it's a family home in Marfa that she and Scogin purchased in 2003 that influences her art and the DNA of Factory Girl. It's a mix of work and play; Hayler-Mayo hosts pop-up shops of vintage fashion at both the Trans Pecos Festival and Chinati Weekend. "I want to see the shop grow, see the world and get inspired. We have no desk in the shop because I can't imagine sitting behind one. I just want to go out in the world and find amazing things to bring back to Factory Girl."– Heather Mayo Heather & Scogin Mayo Brian Williams and Michael Martensen MICHAEL MARTENSEN, BAR SMYTH ETHOS: MASTER OF THE CRAFT M ichael Martensen, 30, has built a reputation for creating establishments that blend exquisite cocktails with old-world sensibility. The Cedars Social, which opened to much acclaim in 2011 and retains a strong following some two years later, paved the way for his latest effort, Bar Smyth, a speakeasy on Travis Street that caters to connoisseurs of fine beverages. The classically cool space, which opened in April this year, is his and partner Brian Williams' answer to Dallas' need for a hipper but more mature drinking establishment. Recently named to Zagat's "Top 19 bars in 11 U.S. Cities," the speakeasy is raising the bar among its brethren. THE BACKSTORY. A lifelong veteran of the food and beverage industry, Martensen was raised in Wyoming and has lived and worked throughout the United States and South America. His frequent stops prior to landing in Dallas have helped shape his views on both life and the attention to detail for which his establishments are known. With family roots in both California and New Orleans, his love of food and food culture is a way of life that has taken him on a journey from kitchens in Argentina to both the East and West coasts, as well as the Rocky Mountains. Finally establishing roots in Dallas in 2007, Martensen was hired by chef John Tesar, then at The Mansion on Turtle Creek, to run its cocktail program. There, he established a name for himself with his progressive approach to drink service. Bar Smyth — the name is taken from the work its bartenders put into their craft — emphasizes quality ingredients, premium liquors and locally sourced produce. A bar with no menu, Smyth relies on the bartenders' interactions with patrons to craft drinks based on requests. Gone are the usual vodka-and-tonic drivel. These cocktails offer a unique experience — in the case of a rum-and-Coke, Martensen uses his own recipe for homemade cola. Next in line is The Establishment, modeled as an oyster bar, set to open shortly.