The Curator Renovation: Part 1
STAY TUNED FOR AN UPDATED BLOG COMING SOON!
We’ll unveil the final touches like the temporary wall we’ve put in, polished copper door, and product selection.
The BEST things come from humble beginnings. Seriously - This 3,000 square foot historic building is over 120 years old. It’s a 2X hardware store removed (would you believe us if we told you there’s original brick in the basement?). Annnd thanks to the local history museum, we recently found out that there were several other small business in this space including cigar rolling - cool! We were lucky enough to dig up an archive of photos from the way-back, well, at least 15+ years and wanted to give you an exclusive peek at the before - and during.
In the 50’s, where this historic beauty was renovated into the towns bicycle shop. Loved by many, it has quite a track record. Seriously, so many bicycle tracks! After sitting empty for 6 years, it’s getting some tender lovin’ care as it becomes the new hub for hand-picked curated goods,
Today, we want to give you a sneak peek of the history in the space - can you even believe ten years ago it looked like this??There is SO much character we HAD to share it. Grab a mug of your favorite tea (or java), and lets dive in:
The basement (hello trap door pictured above!!) is not so creepy crawly afterall. It still has original glass from the hardware store (and a functional light so you don’t get the heebie-jeebies while you’re down there).
The OG Curators-only bathroom has bicycle wallpaper, enough said.
You might’ve seen a sneak peek on our social media, but there is a hidden 5x25 foot wide greenspace that was uncovered during the renovation. It turns out this space was created when an addition was added on the back of the building over FORTY years ago trapping a sliver of land that is only accessible by the roof. There are trees in it - it’s the perfect place to let the pups hang out and there is even talk of turning it into a “secret garden”. What would you put in it?
Yes, so many feet have walked through this perfectly well-loved space in the heart of downtown - lately - it’s been the 10 feet Podjaske clan and pitter patters of the pups! During ALL that summer fun renovation, the kiddos came along. When they weren’t running to and from The Sweet Life Candy shop, they developed a ball-in-cup game using some fun treasures from the shop, itself. I wonder where they get the ingenuity from. ;)
One of our personal favorite things about the space are ALL the original features kept - the photo above is a prime look at how the ceilings, lights, craftsmen features by the door were kept original. And a crowd favorite? The original wood floors were uncovered, sanded and polished.
What’s next? Penny is working hard placing product, learning the POS system, while Erich is busy with small fix-it’s and local craftsmen lend their expertise to put the final professional touches on things! Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all the fun stuff.
So, when you’re asking yourself what to do while in Grayling, MI - or mid northern Michigan, We’ve got your back. We’re working to curate a list of our favorite Grayling hotspots. Classic and niche places and spaces you HAVE to check out.
Have suggestions? Drop them in the comments!
We can’t wait to unveil the finished look!
Stay tuned for updates!