Garland Texas has become known as a community built for making dreams come true, where the brave buck the trend of sameness in pursuit of creating a better city. There’s a can-do spirit in Garland that inspires artists, artisans, and entrepreneurs to live life to the fullest. No wonder so many unique people and businesses call this city home.
“Garland is a city with open arms,” says Ayako Schuster, business development manager for the City of Garland. “We live up to our ‘Make Your Mark’ mantra by helping people from all over the world follow their dreams – on their own terms.”
From a rapper to a baker to a candlestick maker (and beyond), here are just a few of the colorful characters whose creative and innovative spirit has made Garland a vibrant community for generations.
Meet Moses Uvere: a rapper/musician, a preacher, and the president of Culture Makers, a local nonprofit organization that brings people together through music. Uvere was born and raised in Garland. Over the past decade, he has traveled the planet, sharing his life experiences through song. Naturally, he still calls Garland home. To learn more about his message and his music, check out Uvere’s website at MosesUvere.com.
Tracy Dowd is the owner of Piefalootin Pie Shop. A lifelong baker, she learned how to make pies from the very best place of all: her grandmother. Dowd lives in Garland and is passionate about the idea of bringing unexpected combinations of pie flavors to this town. She does classics like coconut cream pie, Key lime, and Texas pecan, but she also loves to roll out original creations not found at any other pie shop in the world. Suddenly feeling hungry? Visit Piefalootin.com.
Tiana Coats makes unique decorative candles 100% by hand. She started Winding Wick in 2016, after daydreaming from her cubicle about being her own boss. Tiana has done everything from reselling books and board games on Amazon to working part-time at a hospital to fund her candle-making enterprise. You can view (but unfortunately not smell) her wonderfully scented creations at WindingWickCandles.com.
In the heart of downtown Garland, you’ll find a unique mural that was designed – but not painted – by talented local resident, Cullin Lassiter. He created the paint-by-numbers system that allowed fellow Garlandites to take turns wielding brushes provided by the city. Lassiter said, “It’s a challenge but a great reward, because everyone has fun and gets to be creative on something they probably didn’t know they could do.” Check out the community’s handiwork at the apropos address, 506 Art Street.
Tyler Shin was born in South Korea, but he got to Garland as fast as he could. He is the founder of Revolving Kitchen, an innovative “cloud kitchen” model that is helping local food operators efficiently and effectively expand their food business. Shin is firing up the DFW food and beverage industry with his innovative approach and drive to succeed. You can see what all the fuss is about and even rent a kitchen for a couple of hours (or months) at revolvingkitchen.com.
Garland police officer William Scott Wollett helps make the streets safe. He also makes sweet music. Classically trained at The Juilliard School and The Cleveland Institute of Music, Wollett was once a principal oboe player for the Garland Symphony Orchestra. Recently, they honored him with the opportunity to be their conductor for a night. And don’t be surprised if you hear Officer Wollett and his violin-playing wife performing festive music at a “community night out” event.
It seems there’s more than meets the eye – and ear – to everyone you meet in Garland. In fact, the city is home to countless one-of-a-kind artists, artisans, and entrepreneurs awaiting your discovery. So whether you have a creative calling or a cool business idea, the City of Garland invites you to come Make Your Mark.
For more Make Your Mark stories, please visit MakeYourMarkGarland.com.
