That was downtown Garland then and this is downtown Garland now (Mayor Doug Athas points to what was once a Tin Shop in downtown Garland and what may become a beer brewery in 2015.)
Mayor Doug Athas points to the possible location of a new craft beer brewery, Intrinsic, on the downtown square of Garland. The current, burned out building, like many of the buildings around the square in Garland, has long history. Prior to the fire fifteen years ago that wiped out the interior of this building, it has housed many different types of businesses. It began as a Harness and Tin shop near the beginning of the 20th century. In 1932 plumbing supplies were sold there. The building retains its original parapet [portion of exterior wall that extends above the roof line], one of the few buildings on the square to do so. However, today, due to the fire, the roof is missing and the interior is gutted down to its brick walls and concrete floor. Many folks today have never heard of "tinners" as this is a profession that has long been absent from American life. However, back in the 19th and early 20th century tinware competed successfully with the more traditional pottery products. Tin shop owners shaped tin sheet iron into a variety of forms, and distributed finished goods wholesale through peddlers, and country stores.
Cary Hodson, a local Garland resident, is raising money to make this happen on an ale-centric crowdfunding site, Crowd Brewed. If the Internet is any indication, Cary has started quite an avalanche of buzz for his project. In fact, his event has caught the eye of the UK press. Texas man offering free beer for life for just $2,000 but you have to invest in his start-up brewery.
The Fort Worth band, The Gypsy Playboys offered live tunes yesterday. at the Intrinsic Brewing, Tasting and Food Truck Cafe (in the old burned out tin shop). You can hear this great band at the Mellow Mushroom in Rockwall on Nov 15, Dec 13 and Dec 27. Below you see a view from the inside of the Intrinsic Brewing, Tasting and Food Truck Cafe.
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Carol Garrison, Vice President of Loving Garland Green "womaning" the Loving Garland Green Booth
Mistletoe Market - Downtown Garland November 8, 2014
The Intrinsic event wasn't the only happening event in downtown Garland yesterday. The Mistletoe Market was also happening. This event is organized and marketed by Kirk Lovett of Eventive Marketing. Some of the proceeds from the event go to our local Good Samaritans. In addition, residents brought canned goods to help supply the food shelves for this charitable organization in our community.
Gene Rodgers, engineer, professional soap maker and all around Renaissance man put himself in charge (Loving Garland Green is a member-directed nonprofit organization) of promoting the sale of our Texas-sized Rangers wreath. Gene did a heck of a job. He even got on the microphone and encouraged a flurry of last minute raffle ticket sales. Thank you Gene! by the way, if you don't know anything about how to make soap and would like to learn, come to the weekly meeting of Loving Garland Green on Monday November 10 from 6:30 to 7:30 at 216 East Kingsbridge Drive Garland 75040.
Jean Shortsleeve, another of our members made and donated this wreath for the event. If you are interested in having any type of special wreath created for you, just call Loving Garland Green at 972-571-4497 and we will put you in touch with Jean.
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It was a beautiful day for meeting and talking with people. I know Austin prides itself on being quirky and artsy and different, but let me ask you: Does Austin have Victoria England? No, Victoria and her husband live in Garland. Instead of mowing their lawn, they have two giant tortoises who do the job for them. People are filled with great ideas for improving our community and making it even more of a great place to live than it already is. For example, I talked to a fireman, an avid gardener, who is interested in getting neighborhood gardens planted in and about our local fire stations. That sounds like a great idea to me.
Anything can happen in Garland and it's all mostly good. We still have people living here who not only believe in the American Dream, but who are also willing to work for it. We will all prosper the closer we move to a local plant-based economy and this includes craft breweries, gardens, rain barrels, rainwater harvesting and much more. City leaderships all over the USA are waking up to the potential offered by this new economy and I'm happy to know that I live in one of these cities with that kind of local leadership and citizen participation.
Residents of Garland have a deep history of bootstraps optimism. Two of our oldest businesses--Roach Feed and Seed and Resistol--were established in the worst depression our country has ever known, the Great Depression of the 1930's. It is noteworthy that both these businesses have not only survived, they have thrived. Resistol is today the largest hat manufacturer in the world. Then there is the story in our very early history of how no one would sell us electricity so a few citizens bought a generator and established a locally owned electric co-op. Garland is a very cool city and it's time for us who live here to get the word out: We love Garland! Growing Garland Cool means Loving Garland Green.