Conversations with Legacy Music Studio
Business est. | 2017
Your Name | Jenny James
Business Website | www.legacymusicstudio.org
Tell us your story. Why and how did you get started:
I have been teaching piano privately out of my home since 2005. Several years ago, I started dreaming about having a space where independent music teachers and creative professionals could all work together collaboratively In a shared space. After searching the area, I found Old Town Lewisville to be the perfect fit for us. We now have nine teachers (piano, voice, guitar, bass, drums, and strings), a recording studio with Charles Tobias Recording, and photography/videography services with Trey Hernandez Media.
On your to-do list:
My goal for this year Is to play acoustic guitar.
Favorite local pastime:
I grew up In Waco, which has a lot of similarities to Lewisville, so I personally enjoy all the traditional events held In OTL like Western Days and the Holiday Stroll. Those festivities help culture such a sense of community and family.
A hidden Gem in OTL:
OTL Is filled with amazing venues, places to eat and shop, but one thing most people don't know about Is our in-house Recording Studio. Musicians and artists can come to OTL and record, mix, master, and produce music!
Name of Business | Flourish Flowers & Gifts
Business est. | 2017
Business Website | https://flourishflowersandgifts.com
Your Name | Cynthia Dearnbarger
Tell us your story. Why and how did you get started:
Flourish is the product of big dreams, quiet prayers, and sewn seeds all springing to life at once. The story begins with a momma who had a hidden dream of owning a small business of her own. Cynthia, a wife and mother of four kiddos and mother-in-love to one, put her own dreams on hold until the time was just right. Although she had a dream that was “dormant, it was far from dead.” It was a dream that had so much life to it, but it was just a matter of when it would be birthed.
In early 2017 Cynthia’s daughter asked her, “What are you going to do, mom? You’ve taken care of everyone for years and we’re about to leave the house. So, what will you do for yourself?” Something about this question hit Cynthia’s heart. The gift that she had been stewarding, the art that she had been practicing, the talent that she had been tending to... It was finally time to make her dream a reality and to step into her calling.
Soon after, Cynthia took the leap of faith. She started Flourish Flowers and Gifts. The humble beginnings took place in Farmer’s Markets, and quickly they were able to secure a small storefront in Old Town Lewisville. Flourish, the name of the quaint business, definitely lives up to its title.
Within the same year, Flourish was booming with business, which meant the small storefront was bursting out of its seams! Flourish was so successful that Cynthia relocated to a bigger storefront about four times as large as her first. What was first a dream to create unique bouquets has now evolved into so much more. Not only does she create and craft beautiful arrangements, but she is bringing other people’s dreams to life too. Flourish has endless choices of gifts, is a full-service florist including daily deliveries, and also puts on the most beautiful weddings & events!
Cynthia believes that her business is flourishing because of Jesus’ blessing. Her faith has been an anchor in the hardest of seasons and in the best of seasons. She truly believes that having Jesus at the center of everything, not only in her marriage and her family, but also in the work-place, has been the catalyst of beauty for her business. Cynthia’s heart cry has always been that she has been blessed to be a blessing. If you give Flourish Flowers and Gifts a try, you will be blessed. The atmosphere itself is full of joy, peace and hope! Not to mention all the goodies you’ll find inside! Cynthia’s story is one of waiting and reaping. Her dream didn’t happen overnight, but it took years of holding the dream close to her heart and watching it all unfold slowly. Take courage if you have a dream that seems impossible. Cynthia is proof that with a little bit of faith, courage, and sometimes a season of waiting, the most fruitful realities are produced!
Favorite neighborhood shop:
The Perc!!!
Instagrammer that you absolutely love:
@native_poppy
Things you love most about Old Town Lewisville:
There’s something about the tight knit community that Old Town Lewisville has... that’s for sure my favorite thing.
Name of Business |Stokes Law Office, PLLC / Freedom Title Lewisville
Business est. | 1999 October
Your Name | Kellie Fister Stokes
Business Website | www.kfslegal.com
Tell us your story. Why and how did you get started:
Kellie is a strong believer in giving back to our community. She has been in Old Town Lewisville since 2001 and has witnessed all the amazing growth. She is honored to serve in several volunteer capacities in the community. Kellie currently serves as Chair of the Children's Advocacy Center for Denton County Board of Directors. Additionally, she the legal advisor for the Lewisville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and served as Chair in 2013. Kellie is also the legal advisor for the Greater Lewisville Area of Realtors Board of Directors, Chair of the City of Lewisville Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, and Vice-Chair for the Texas Real Estate Commission Education Standards Advisory Committee
Favorite place to grab a bite in town:
Old Town Winehouse
Five dinner guest (living or deceased) you would have at your dinner party:
Abraham Lincoln, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Megan Rapinoe, Nikola Tesla, Ernest Holmes
Top destinations for first time visitors to Old Town Lewisville:
Mural, Wayne Ferguson Plaza, all the shops
Name of Business | we + you
Business est. | 2007
Business Website | weplusyoustudios.com
Your Name | Amanda Ferguson
Tell us your story. Why and how did you get started:
In college, I always had the desire to pursue a creative field (and full disclosure- 7 years and 5 colleges later – I figured it out) I dove right into photography (with a major in psychology). During my last year of schooling, I worked part-time in a local florist, The Ivy Door and it was instant L O V E. I was crazy drawn to the aspect of envisioning a design and bringing it to life. So as the story goes, A psychology major turned corporate design slave moves to Austin, abandons grad school dreams, needs to occupy hands… the rest is (somewhat) history.
During my years in Austin, I worked at an amazingly fun florist downtown, Cowgirls & Flowers. This is where the whole world of floral design was at my fingertips. From movie sets to everyday florals I had the opportunity to fall into my own. This was it, floral design extraordinaire!
In 2005, we (the husband & 8 months pregnant me) moved back to Lewisville. Figuring that no one would be interested in hiring an 8-month pregnant gal I began to pull a business plan together. First, friends were asking me to help them with their weddings and then friends of friends were asking for help & offering to pay me – UM, YES! And so, the story began…
Favorite neighborhood stops:
A few of my favorite OTL stops would be Flourish & Main Street Mercantile, pop-up shops/installations at The Drawling Room, concerts in plaza and happy-houring at BENDT Distilling Co + J2 Steakhouse, of course!
Instagrammer(s) that you absolutely love:
@drinkingwithchickens – b/c who doesn’t love cocktails with chickens? @coparkswildlife – to stay in the know of all things awesome happening while in Texas! @charlysavely – kick ass gal who travels the world in her van being awesome @thiswildidea – a dude (author, photographer) & his dog doing cool shit
Favorite things to-do with your family at home:
I love sitting at the dinner table and eating dinner we just cooked and asking my family what their “highs and lows” were of the day. It’s good for my soul to just sit and chat with them about the good and bad things of their days while our favorite records spin in the background.
Name of Business | Blackall Photography
Business est. | 2008
Your Name | Kelly Blackall
Business Website | www.blackallphotography.com
Tell us your story.
Why and how did you get started | My love for photography started out young. I still have my blue fisher price film camera! Learning how to shoot & process film from my grandfather are memories I will never forget- I still have a few old prints I developed rom our outings together. Then helping out in high school on the yearbook/newspaper staff (Go Farmers!) was where I formed a solid foundation for the art of telling a story with my photos... I always loved the smell of the developer! Then off to college...they gave me my first digital and said...here learn this! So I did! I always knew I’d be my own boss someday and starting the Blackall Photography brand was such an easy next step for me. I love my job so much- I love being there for couples on their best day ever and I love documenting families over the years. It’s a dream doing what you love! On your to-do list | Currently, helping with lots of Old Town Lewisville/ First Friday social media planning but on any given day I typically make lots of coffee, sit down in my home office here in Old Town Lewsiville & get some emails done, then do a little digital darkroom work on any images I’ve taken recently & finish out the day with whats next on the agenda for photo shoot stylings & wedding day planning!! Oh… and in between all that probably let our 3 dogs in + out at least a dozen or more times! Wouldn’t change my home office for the world though! Im a homebody at heart so I love it!
Favorite local pastime
I love archery-It’s something my husband and I both love doing. We don’t get out to tournaments as much as we’d like to because of our schedules, but we both love being outdoors.
A hidden Gem in OTL
I love so many places here in OTL- most within walking distance of our front door- but one of my favorite places in the old town area (besides our home ) is LLELA Nature Preserve- We love heading over there and just walking around-it’s always so peaceful.
Name of Business |The Drawing Room
Business est. | May of 2019
Your Name |Nika Reinecke
Tell us your story. Why and how did you get started:
I got my first job upon graduating from college at the City of Lewisville and retired after 30 years In April of 2019. I worked on many projects in Lewisville but working on revitalization of Old Town was the most exciting and rewarding project of my career. Seeing the vision take shape, through the years, with new buildings, the WFP Plaza, the Grand, new restaurants, new residential was like a dream come through. I saw so much potential in this authentic downtown and was cemented to It through the various projects, that I did not want to leave it after retirement. Not only I wanted to continue to be a part of Old Town but I wanted to help in making it better and better. The Drawing Room was conceived out of discussions with a group of friends who shared my love of art, entrepreneurship and community involvement. The idea of this space is a cooperative where many projects/dreams can take shape. We named it The Drawing Room (TDR) to conjure images of an old-fashioned living room that is welcoming, cozy and warm. Fostering artists and artisans to showcase their craft with low overhead and to bring a new layer of richness to downtown are the goals behind TDR. I am also a big proponent of the Blue Zone concept and creating Blue Zone communities and wanted fitness and wellness to be a part of my daily routine and hence Pilates In The City took shape as a permanent member of our artisan cooperative. I am still trying to find my footing in this new venture, but as I walk in every day surrounded by beautiful art, jewelry and hand-made pieces, settle into the comfy leather sofa and look at the peaceful plaza and the people surrounding it, I have found my happy place!
On your to-do list:
Look for cool concepts and projects to bring to TDR
Find others to take part in my vision
Learn more about being a small business owner
Favorite local pastime:
Gaze at the Plaza and daydream
Grab a good cup of coffee at The Perc, lunch at the Wine House, and do a Pilates session.
Top destinations for first time visitors to Old Town Lewisville:
Walk around and experience it through some of the retail/restaurants
See the Art Benches
Catch a show at the Grand or the Community Theater
Visit TDR and encourage a new artist
Name of Business |Main Street Mercantile
Business est. | 2013
Your Name |Ronda Owens
Business Website | www.mainstmerc.com
Tell us your story.
Why and how did you get started: My husband and I have always had a love for antiques and I love design and decorating. We also love Old Town and Lewisville is our home town so we merged a love for both and started “The Merc”
Favorite place to grab a bite in town:
We don’t really have a favorite, Lol… we eat out quite frequently (like everyday) but we love to be in Old Town and enjoy the community and atmosphere of all the restaurants downtown.
Five dinner guest (living or deceased) you would have at your dinner party:
Oooo I’m not good with deep questions… lol
My dad, both my grandmothers, my mom and Mark Cuban so I could give him some tips on how to run the Mavs. Lol…
Top destinations for first time visitors to Old Town Lewisville:
Oh gosh, you just need to park and walk around and take it all in.
There’s of course Wayne Ferguson Plaza, the Grand Theater, Bendt Distillery, and then of course all the businesses on Main, the Perc Coffeehouse, the Mercantile of course, Flourish Flowers & Gifts, we + you, Old Town Wine House, Beasley’s Jewelers and lots more! Then just down the street is the iconic J2 Steakhouse that used to be the old Lewisville Feed Mill. Fun place to see some history and have a great meal. There’s lots of other great businesses downtown and lots more on the way. So, I’d say come down, take your time and check them all out. New ones are coming in all the time!
Name of Business | Bridal Boutique
Business est. | 1990
Your Name | Caroline Berend
Business Website | www.bridalboutiquelewisville.com
Tell us your story. Why and how did you get started:
It’s hard to believe but Bridal Boutique has been in OTL for over thirty years! It was established in 1990, upstairs in the old bank building at the corner of Main and Mill. A friend of my mother’s, Carolyn West, who owned a wedding catering and floral shop, encouraged me to open a bridal store. Carolyn would receive calls daily asking if she had wedding gowns for sale and since she didn’t the idea of Bridal Boutique was born.
Having no knowledge of the bridal industry, I did a little research and found out that Dallas Bridal Market was in a couple of weeks. I decided to attend, learned a lot about the biz and ordered $19,000 worth of bridal gown inventory. I didn’t have a lot of money so I put it on a credit card of course, rented the space upstairs from Carolyn, for $500 a month, and went into business.
After an interesting five years in the old bank building we moved across the street in 1995 to what is now the OT Wine House. Then in 2005 we bought the Masonic Temple at 139 West Main , expanding a considerable amount but still needing more room as business was really taking off about that time. Finally, and with much persuasion, we acquired 143 West Main from then owner, Brian Burns. We did a major restoration and joined the two buildings in 2013 for what is now our current space. Still in need of more room, we opened Beside the Bride in 2014, at the corner of Mill and Church. This boutique caters specifically to bridesmaids and mothers.
My two Aggie daughters, Carrie and Amy now run the entire operation. Bridal Boutique sees about 80-100 brides per week that fly in from all over the world to see our extensive collection of dresses. We are constantly complimented on how beautiful and quaint OTL is and how much our customers enjoy their time here.
On your to-do list:
Travel the world!
Favorite local spots to eat:
Old Town Wine House & J2 Steakhouse
Five dinner guest (living or deceased) you would have at your dinner party:
Donald Trump, My three kids & Husband