Dust, Drop Cloths & Big Dreams
Just Scribbles
Every moved wall. Every repaired corner. Every newly painted suite. It all means something good is coming.
If you stop by the Collaborative today and think, "Wow… did a tiny tornado roll through here?" — congratulations. You're witnessing growth in motion.
Today is one of those days. Tenants moving on to exciting new chapters. Suites getting patched, repaired, and freshly painted. Current businesses shuffling into new spaces. Furniture migrating. Paint rollers working overtime.
And me? I'm in Florida. In bed. On my computer. Freshly released from the hospital yesterday. Running a multi-business shuffle from 1,200 miles away like some kind of mildly medicated air-traffic controller.
Which means today's real MVP is Audrey — back home in Clare, juggling contractors, tenants, timelines, and a whole lot of "wait… where does THIS go?" while I move puzzle pieces digitally and cheer her on through texts, calls, and color-coded notes.
If you ever wondered what teamwork looks like — this is it.
This is the not-so-glamorous side of running a collaborative space. It's ladders in hallways. Boxes stacked where boutique racks normally live. That unmistakable smell of fresh paint mixed with optimism. It's dust, drop cloths, and a whole lot of "just trust the process." In other words: utter, beautiful chaos.
But here's the thing… Every moved wall. Every repaired corner. Every newly painted suite. It all means something good is coming. It means new businesses are getting ready to open their doors. It means current tenants are leveling up. It means this building — and this community — keeps evolving.
The next couple of days might feel a little chaotic (okay… a lot chaotic). But on the other side of this whirlwind is fresh energy, new faces, and spaces filled with creativity, purpose, and people chasing their dreams.
And honestly? That's my favorite part. So if you swing by and see paint trays, shuffled furniture, or Audrey speed-walking with a clipboard — just know: we're building something beautiful. Even if some of us are doing it from a hospital discharge chair and a laptop.
Stay tuned. The glow-up is coming.