cahoots handbags
205 S. Commerce, Gainesville TX 76240
This week’s 52 Pick Up installment connected me with Paige Davidson, owner of Cahoots Handbags. After graduating from the University of Texas, Paige found herself playing around with a collection of vintage fabrics, some of which were from her grandparents’ antique-dealing days. She and her mother created a few patterns and made some handbags for themselves, and as friends began wanting them and spreading the word, Cahoots Handbags was born. They decided in 2007 to renovate the historic George Y. Bird building, which was originally built in 1897. The building has a long history, including having been her grandfather’s auto part store from 1945 into the mid-1970s! They opened their doors in December 2007 as a gallery space and a boutique for their handmade bags. Over the last seven years, they’ve continued to develop their line and also open their space to local makers, crafters and artisans.
We think that there is magic and love in handmade things and that there’s an importance in giving back to local makers and showing them support in the same way that others did for us as we were starting our business.
What I enjoyed about hearing Paige’s story, was her contribution to the community outside of her business, which I believe is the core of why local business is so important to support. Paige has served on the GISD Education Foundation Board, the Summer Sounds Concert Series committee, and the Depot Day Festival committee.
It has been really important to me to give back to the community that has raised me and continues to support me, and my focus has been on the growth and the preservation of downtown Gainesville.
She recently finished serving two consecutive terms on the Gainesville Main Street Board and acted as chairman of that board, which is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the historic main street district. She also continues to be an active member of the Downtown Development Association which, along with the Main Street Board, organizes promotions for the downtown merchants.
Through her time in the organization and as head of the Promotions Committee on Main Street Board, Paige has helped to organize Art Walk, Ladies Night, the Shop & Pop Balloon Sale, the Holiday on the Square events, and others. She has also volunteered to build websites and marketing materials over the last handful of years for the Downtown Development Association, Main Street Board, Depot Day Festival and Summer Sounds.
Cahoots Handbags also helps to fund-raise throughout the year for a number of organizations, donating product and a portion of sales to local and nationwide charities. During the holidays they hold a toy drive for Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital in Dallas and also for Abigail’s Arms, a local shelter for domestic abuse survivors. To top it off, they also run a yearly mistletoe stand during the holidays to raise money for Scottish Rite.
Enjoy the drawing, support Cahoots Handbags and spread the word! ☺
From Cahoots Handbags
Cahoots provides you with fabulous handbags made of vintage upholstery fabrics and alternative vintage textiles.
We believe in high-quality handmade items and in working our fingers to the bone instead of the hands of child workers in Southeast Asian countries. We provide fabulous vegan handbag alternatives for the animal activists of the world. We believe that a handbag has the potential to replace the security blanket of your childhood and that making you think of your grandmother’s couch, apron, or tablecloth is the nicest gift we could possibly give you.
We believe that the relationship between ourselves and our customers should be as personal as your relationship to your fabulous handbag. We believe in immediate communication, not putting customers on hold, and maintaining the quality and integrity of our product by handling every aspect of our business ourselves. Our customers are special and they deserve special bags.
Week 5 Art
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