Sad, but true….

McLeod Residence's next steps

Dear Friends of McLeod Residence,

I have so many conflicting emotions right now as I write this. Sadly, I have some difficult news to deliver. (Forgive me if I'm long-winded in this… it's an emotional topic for all of us and to top it all off I've just gotten MARRIED and have had to discover the latest twists in this tale from across the country even as I prepare to go on a long-planned honeymoon with no cancelation insurance. Life is crazy that way sometimes.)

The greatest blessing and curse of McLeod Residence has always been the building and space it exists in. On the one hand, it's unlike any other space around, in a truly magnificent way. And yet on the other hand, it simply wasn't originally built to the specifications required to do the kinds of things we wanted to do. Trying to reconcile the two has been a struggle from the very beginning.

We've always tried to maintain a positive "one day at a time" attitude about this, and have managed to wiggle our way through some very fortunate milestones in our permitting and licensing situation… for example getting a liquor license and a temporary certificate of occupancy. Everyone at the city has been EXTREMELY kind and helpful and would never shut us down if they didn't have to. Nobody is really to blame, there is no big bad wolf in the city who is trying to hurt us.

However, at this point, it looks like we've reached the end of our options, and will have to vacate our space and find a new tenant to take it over for us. It breaks our hearts a thousand different ways to do this, but also feel like we can turn a difficult situation into one that makes us stronger.

We were hoping to be able to see our current exhibit, which just opened, to the end (Nov 22nd), but even that doesn't seem to be possible. Our last day open to the public will be Oct 31st.

The good news is that we are not interpreting this as failure, and neither are we quitting. This is merely the continuation of a story arc, where the first season is ending and a new season will pick up in a while.

A few very important points:

• We need to find a new tenant for our space. Our rent is pretty cheap by most standards. It's a unique and beautiful historical space that another business could thrive in. If you have ANY LEADS on possible interested parties, please have them contact us for more information (email us or call 206-441-3314), or our landlord directly (Scott Strachan at Bellevue Artisan Properties: 206-250-3427).
• We want members to feel good about their support. While we temporarily close down and regroup and look for a new space, membership benefits will of course be a bit less valuable. If anyone feels that they need a refund of any sort on their membership, send me a note at bustermcleod@gmail.com and I'll come up with a schedule for refunds personally. I may not be able to refund everyone immediately, but I want to do my best to make sure nobody feels decieved or cheated.
• Yes, we do plan to rise from the ashes and relocate, stronger than ever. We are already in the process of finding a new location… one that builds on the experience of what we've built so far while keeping the original spirit of McLeod. Kindra and I are working on this already and have lots of interesting and very exciting ideas and options. We don't yet have a timeline for this next iteration. If you have any leads or ideas that you think might help us on this front, please send them to Kindra and I (kindrameyer@gmail.com, bustermcleod@gmail.com).

Please spread the word and help us find a new tenant. We fully believe that McLeod Residence has been a positive force our little corner of the universe, and as little positive forces go, there is no reason to simply let it fade away. Changes will only make us stronger and more sure of the original vision… to create a home for extraordinary living through art, technology, and collaboration.

Thank you for being a part of the first part of this experiment. We will be keeping regular gallery and lounge hours, as well as scheduled events, until October 31.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. We will definitely keep you informed of the story as it unfolds and let you know when a new space has been found. I know it is very sad to leave such a well-loved space, but let's make the most of it in the last month that we have it.

Thank you so much for being wonderful, and thank you for supporting McLeod Residence. Truly.

Sincerely,
Buster*

Does it seem like an awful lot of things are breaking up these past few weeks?