Some changes are coming to the historic Firefox building at 8th and Francis. Local artists Json Myers and Megan Gallant are buying the property. Myers tells us they main floor will be occupied by their business “Goode Food Delivered,” an organic grocery delivery business.
Next door is Myers’ art studio and exhibition space, but he hopes to move to the much larger space upstairs.
“There’s 5,000 square feet up there,” Myers says, “I would like to have different areas up there, and through that different scopes.”
“I’d like to bring a variety of workshops. I’d like to have an idea clearinghouse up there. I’d like to have a common space where people can get together and have ideas and share opportunities.”
Myers says the inspiration to buy the building started out as a practical one.
“Getting the vegetables out of my sculpture studio started everything. We had this little mom and pop shop coming out of our artist studios, and it got to the point where we couldn’t get to any of our tools anymore. There were too many potatoes in the way.”
Myers and Gallant held an exhibition over the weekend, selling artwork in hopes of earning enough for the down payment on the property. Gallant offered a variety of sketches and multimedia works. Myers showed off some of his sculptures including a wire rendition of Mount Rushmore, a very large pixilated cat, and a falling burning man.
Myers believes such projects could help spark other new growth in downtown St Joseph, but he says the reverse is also true.
“Downtown has changed to make this project happen,” he said. “To me, coming into this scenario, everything is perfect and right, and everything is perfectly falling into place.”
“I hear from people who have been pushing to get it to this point. I hear a little bit of fatigue and a whole lot of anticipation, and I understand that, but it is because it’s ready.”
For more information on Goode Food Delivered, visit their Facebook page.
