The noise isn't coming from the boombox.
The clanking, sanding, and chatter heard near Third Street and Roosevelt Road in downtown Phoenix is coming from behind the plywood that's covered the entrance of what used to be a drag bar (and, for a short time, Phil Gordon's reelection campaign headquarters) since 2008.
And this Saturday, the boombox -- painted by local artist Lalo Cota -- is coming down to reveal a new gallery and vintage/furniture store on Roosevelt Row.
Partners Cole and Dayna Reed say they've wanted to move into a bigger space for almost a year. They've been working and living in Downtown's Garfield Galleria, which has housed a number of local artists including Eric Cox, Kathy Cone, Eddie Sparr, Matt Priebe, and Margaret Wright, to name a few. In the Galleria, they ran Thiq Ink, where Cole worked on mid-century modern furniture and Dayna developed her photography.
Two two say that during one of their many "urban hikes" through Downtown, they started noticing a few spaces for rent, and while they toured a few, they kept coming back to the historic, red brick building at 222 E. Roosevelt.
The building's an icon in the neighborhood. It houses one of Phoenix's oldest murals by old-time local artist Ted DeGrazia (who was rumored to have painted them to cover his bar tab), and it's still the place of many stories from the days when it was 307 Lounge.
Most recently, the building's owner caused a stir when she allowed PBR to slap a huge, painted advertisement on the east-facing wall. It was covered bright red when the ad agreement was over (and the Reeds say they'll be putting out a call for mural designs soon enough, but more on that later).
The two will open GreenHaus Gallery + Boutique, an art gallery and furniture store with vintage items in February. The name, they say, comes from Cole's love of the iconic German art and design school Bauhaus, their favorite color (green), and a desire to create a welcoming environment that supports the surrounding arts neighborhood.
On the schedule is a soft opening on February's First Friday, with artwork by Carla Keaton of Gallery Serendipity on Grand Avenue, furniture by Cole, and vintage finds including scrabble tiles and a full-size telephone booth. They'll host a grand opening on February 11 from 6 to 10 p.m..
"We're just excited to be here," says Cole. "It was hard to leave to the Galleria; we were a few of the oldest tenants. But we couldn't have found a better place, we're having a ton of fun, and we'll be here for a while."
Both Cole and Dayna say the space will definitely work toward regular business hours -- first Thursday to Sunday -- with First and Third Friday openings, rotating art shows with a permanent collection.
They also hope to expand hours as they settle in and figure out a balance with their day jobs (Cole's an optician; Dayna's an accountant). But the two, who signed a five-year lease, both agree that their dreams for the space are long-term and solidified.
So yes, the boombox is coming down, a huge door by Jeff Cline is coming up, the DeGrazia's been covered and preserved (by removable drywall, with care, they emphasize), and both artists can't wait to show off what all the noise has been about.
Stay tuned to the Greenhaus Facebook Page for more information.
