Current Location for the Garland Area Makerspace and Loving Garland Green

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As I sat in Bobby and Jessica Orozco’s cozy living room this weekend with 15 other people listening to Bobby’s lovely piano music, I thought about how none of this would be possible without their home and the Orozco’s intelligence to leverage their resource and talents.  So it goes in the USA.  Living rooms, kitchens and garages are the places where many wonderful things begin.

In fact, many multibillion-dollar businesses have begun in private homes:  Apple’s first computers were built in a small garage in Cupertino California.  Larry Page and Sergy Brin rented Susan Wojcicki’s Menlo Park Garage and it became Google’s headquarters.  The Walt Disney Company began in the summer of 1923 in a small one-car garage in Anaheim that belonged to Walt Disney’s uncle, Robert Disney.  Mattel, founded by Ruth and Elliot Handler began in a garage in Southern California.  I particularly like Mattel’s story as their toy products began as furniture for dollhouses—an outgrowth of using material scraps recycled from picture frames (their primary business at the time) they made in in their garage.  Then in 1959 Ruth invented the Barbie Doll and named it after her daughter, Barbara and the rest is a multi-billion dollar history.

A makerspace has all the advantages of a small home or garage squared. 

A makerspace could be compared to a beehive of garages, living rooms and kitchens arranged in a cellular structure usually all under one roof. 

The folks in East London apparently understand the connection between makerspaces and the prosperity of their local economy.  The following is an appeal from an online fundraiser, Spacehive, that to date has raised 55,069 pounds with only 12 backers: 

East London Makerspace (ELM) is the development of REED a project co funded by EU. ELM aim is to develop unused garages/ space into a makerspace to serve as a hub for the community to develop and produce eco products, offer training, skills and jobs to the local community. ELM will provide a space for the design and production of eco products offer a furniture Collection, restoration and resale for the community. It will provide a platform for eco designers, and disadvantaged young people from the community. To offer advice and help to launch careers, it will provide visibility and mobility for young people in the community to:, foster creativity and entrepreneurial activity, whilst encouraging new circular economy business models and market development . Introducing sustainable business models to the local community for sustainable social enterprises, pop up shops, a meeting space and artist studios - providing workshops, training, skills, and jobs for the community.

Collaboration is a fast track for making.  The proximity of makers from various disciplines working in close proximity to each other and sharing tools enhances opportunities for innovative solutions to various development issues as technologies and skills are applied in new and inventive ways for creative problem solving.  Invention is after all the result of a series of problem solutions that ended well.

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Speaking of auspicious beginnings in small places: If you are interested in seeing a makerspace established near downtown Garland and especially if you have a space you would like to donate, please RSVP to attend our next board meeting of the Garland Area Makerspace.

Space is Limited

RSVP to Carol Currie at:  President-GAM@garlandareamakerspace.org

The meeting will be held at 7PM at 216 East Kingsbridge Drive Garland Texas 75040.

The address is a residence (mine) located between Crestone and Naaman School Road in Garland Texas.