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June/July 2003
Homespun Savvy By Connie Snyder
Everyone likes to shop for something. The same man shifting his weight outside the women's dressing room can entertain himself for hours at an electronics store. The woman, nodding off after fifteen minutes in sporting goods, will marathon-shop the day after Christmas. And then there are the professionals: adventurers who travel great distances to find treasures, set up shop and do business, betting the items they discover will charm their customers back home. Fortunately two of those professional shoppers have imported wonderful treasures from south of the border. It was mid-morning when I met Richard Bacon, as he walked towards the door marked suite 13 at Landmarks: Architectural Findings, 3560 S. Polaris Street, Las Vegas, his business address since opening in May of 2002. Inside his office, he fielded a few calls, as my eyes darted from the framed Diego Rivera reproduction to the authentic turn-of-the-century Mexican sombrero above the door. Noticing my interest, he took the hat from its perch, providing a closer look at its fine weave and intricate trim. I was surprised at its weight and impressed by the fine, decorative detailing, and leather banded, silk-lined cap proudly bearing the milliner's label. This was not a piece of disposable, thematic merchandising fluff, I thought, this was the real thing. The hat, in fact, was just the beginning of my fascinating tour of Landmark's treasures. Richard is part curator/part businessman/part historian. Many of the facts pertaining to the items he offers for sale, he has researched himself, while some descriptions are best-guess deductive reasoning. This is where his years of travel and his marketing/anthropology/architecture background pay off. Richard will happily explain how ironwork made before 1900 was banded or pinned, not welded; or that a clavos is a decorative nail with a clover-shaped head. Whether it's an estate piece of leaded glass from the San Francisco Bay area or a pair of 19th century, 11 by 10 foot Mexican Red Pine doors from the era of Mexican president, Poriforo Diaz, Richard manages to entertain and inform with tantalizing bits of history and culture. "Did you notice the height on those door handles? " Richard asked. "They're low because the doors were originally at the top of very steep steps." And why are those charming little iron gates attached behind the doors and windows? I shot back. "Those, the Mexicans call 'iron protectors' used for ventilation as well as security." The more I learned, the more I wanted to know. As any good interior designer knows, imaginative use of authentic items separates the wheat from the chaff, the mundane from the fabulous. There's something deliciously witty about an old wooden feed trough that formerly served up grain to sheep that is reborn as a coffee table laden with candles and canapes. One can't help joining in the fun as you stroll through the store, imagining what might be done with Landmark's authentic mesquite sugar mold, with its double rows of circles or the tin-topped table typical of ranch farmhouses. Here was a wealth of items waiting to inspire the creative homeowner or decorator. And what if you adore the pair of French cast iron sconces and need them wired? Resourceful and well connected, Richard is willing to provide the names of craftsmen he's worked with to retrofit pieces into their new commercial or residential settings. Need assistance finding a certain item to complete a room? Richard offers his expertise to those in search of the hard-to-find. Incredible discoveries for Country, Spanish Colonial and Mediterranean interiors abound at Richard Bacon's Landmarks. But Richard may be the biggest find of all. On the other side of town, at 129 North Gibson Road, Bill and Glenda McCleary recently opened a 7,000-square-foot Southwestern home furniture and accessories store called Coyote Furniture. The husband and wife team describe their business as a "mom and pop with discount shopping." But although their friendly customer approach may be down-home casual, there's nothing small-time about the style, variety and prices they offer. The store's interior is packed with charming, rustic pine furniture for every room of the house. Armoires, tables, beds, bar stools and benches, all with a decidedly Southwestern drawl, call for the customer's attention. And there's plenty of exciting sculpture, pottery, baskets and decorative accents to flavor the mix. The McCleary's, who lived in Tlaquepaque, Mexico as newlyweds for two years, now travel to Mexico monthly, ordering from more than 30 suppliers. Bill feels he is a middleman of sorts, providing an American-side storefront and clientele for the rustic craftsperson in Mexico. It's a little like bringing a foreign arts and crafts festival back home with you from vacation. Bill explained that different towns in Mexico specialize in different products, and he pointed from item to item, naming each craftsperson by first name. His dual role of buyer and seller gives him an edge when it comes to design, quantity, and availability. Because he knows the craftsmen personally, he just might be able to get that rustic armoire for you with an additional drawer or two. There's always something new because of the frequent buying trips, so customers can anticipate something new whenever they visit. He says he likes to practice smart shopping and firmly believes in "knowing your client." Bill learned to speak Spanish as a peace corps volunteer in El Salvador and while there dabbled in business, importing clothes to the States. After his stint with the Peace Corps, he spent 20 years in real estate before getting into the furniture import business with a partner. When it came time to open his own business in Henderson, with Glenda, they had the experience to get off to a fantastic start. Bill is the negotiator, while Glenda evaluates products for functionality and style. Glenda told me she determines an item's practicality and usefulness to homeowners based on her own experience. For example, she showed me a sample Southwest- themed table runner she was considering, and told me she was going to give it a test wash to see how well it would launder. Glenda pointed to a charming kitchen "island" with a wooden canopy from which rustic pots hung with bohemian flair. She said, "I had him cut the dimensions down a bit on that piece to accommodate the scale of most kitchens." She listens carefully to her customers and is constantly in search of interesting Southwestern accessories. With a sister shop of the same name at 2625 Craig Road and the newly opened Coyote Furniture in Henderson, the McCleary's surely have a business venture worth howling about! |
