TCD heads to the Grand Avenue

As of today, ThirdCoast Digest joins a few of our creative sector counterparts as the newest tenants of the Shops of Grand Avenue Mall. We couldn’t be more excited about our new space, especially with neighbors like Spreenkler and Art Milwaukee just down the hall (not to mention the Stone Creek lounge just steps away from our door).

It all began with VITAL Source, way back when, which was produced out of a small set of offices in Riverwest. In 2007, we moved to the Arts Building in Walker’s Point, where we hosted many rip-roaring Gallery Night parties. In 2009, we transitioned into online media with TCD and also into a new creative space just a few blocks away, where our humble daily magazine has flourished ever since.

Case in point: we’ve done this moving thing a few times, and we’re (almost) pros.

In keeping with TCD’s scrappy, we-can-do-it mantra, we tackled our new offices with gusto. Formerly Ravi Leathers, the large, bright space came with a few fun challenges — namely, wallpaper that had been in place since the early 80s and a few massive built in shelves that needed to come out. Undeterred, we got to work. Over the last two weeks, TCD staff, interns and a few amazing volunteers pitched in to help. We stripped the walls, painted, put in new flooring and trim, and transformed the former retail shop into our new home.

We’re still settling in, but be sure to come and visit us on the second floor of the Plankinton Arcade next time you’re in the neighborhood.  In the meantime, check out a few photos of the transformation in progress below.  Check back later this week — we’ll post a few “after” photos once we sort through a few dozen boxes … and set up the bar.