Scott left Cleveland to attend Ole Miss, then traveled on, living in Washington, D.C., Dallas, New York City, and, for the last nine years, Atlanta. He gained a wealth of experience in his chosen fields of photography and advertising during these years, but he never forgot his hometown. “I observed a lot of things both visually and culturally in all the places I lived, and I wanted to bring back the best of those experiences to Cleveland,” Speakes says. “I knew that Raymond had all the construction knowledge that would be needed, and that, coupled with my interests in some of the art and food areas, helped me realize that we could create a quality project back in our hometown.”
Raymond Huerta got an early start in his family’s construction business, but soon the big city of Dallas lured him away for a number of years. There he learned valuable lessons about building construction and renovation that would prove to be exactly what he needed upon his return to Cleveland. “I love construction and repair work,” Huerta says, “and always have enjoyed working in the construction field.” Returning to the Delta in 1994, he began his own construction company specializing in metal building construction, and he was ready when his friend, Scott, began discussing the ideas he had been considering.
About three years ago, the two old friends got together and began planning projects that would allow them to realize some of the dreams they had envisioned for their hometown. The old Goyer Company building, located at the corner of N. Sharpe Avenue and 1st Street, which in its lifetime had housed a dry goods business, the Jimmy Sanders Seed Company, and Leigh Sanders Photography, had been sitting idle for a number of years. Both Scott and Raymond saw great potential in the structure, and after agreeing to become partners in what they christened Old Town Developers L.L.C., they began the slow, meticulous process of bringing the building back to life. Speakes describes the one-and-a-half year process as methodical with the goal of wanting people to “...see immediately that we were serious about what we were doing.” They also felt motivated to, as Speakes puts it, “...get good things going in this part of town.” The pair recruited family members to play a variety of parts in organizing and running the operation, and the rest is history. Today, Scott’s mom, Jenell Mitchel, watches over the retail counter and the antique booths while his sister Sandy - who happens incidentally to be Raymond’s wife - serves as chief accounting and personnel officer for the business.
The triumphant result of these efforts is the popular and successful Warehouse complex which houses over forty antique booths, a trendy and very popular restaurant, and an art gallery. While Speakes says that their original plans included all these elements, time and circumstances have pushed them to expand to a much more elaborate facility than they had originally envisioned. As an artist, Speakes wanted to provide some space for local art talent to be displayed. What began as an idea for a small gallery space grew until it now occupies the entire top floor of the huge building. Renowned Delta artists including Gerald DeLoach, Joshua Weathersbee, Floyd Shaman, Jim Seale, Collier Parker, Duncan Baird, Pam Mathews, Nan Sanders, Pat Brown, David Moore, Jim Ellis, and many others have shown their works at the Warehouse. Gallery “openings” with live jazz have become highly anticipated social events with area residents.
The Warehouse Restaurant has likewise nearly doubled in size and scope since it was first opened. Specializing in the highest quality deli meats and unique sandwiches and desserts, the restaurant has steadily grown in popularity. Raymond Huerta proudly points to tables of ladies playing bridge in the middle of the afternoon and says that he and Scott “...felt that they knew what Cleveland would enjoy and what would be an asset to the community.” Huerta tells the DBJ that the luncheon traffic has grown incredibly over the last couple of years, and that now they get a steady flow of local residents who drop in all during the afternoon to indulge in their trademark homemade desserts, do a little browsing, and in general just kick back.
Not a pair to allow success to stagnate their creativity, Huerta and Speakes continue to expand their collaborative efforts. They recently purchased the adjoining property which was once the headquarters for Nowell Lumber Company. They have already begun to renovate the buildings, turning them into upscale loft residences. These stylish living quarters will range from 2000 to around 2400 square feet with a variety of different designs. There will be both two bed and two bath units as well as three bed and three bath designs with at least one unit offering a three-story, vaulted living space. When completed, the artistic designs, landscaped outdoor areas with brick patios, and a modern security access system are sure to make these units a popular Cleveland address. Other buildings in town that Huerta and Speakes own or are considering buying have potential as restaurants or for apartment construction, and it seems that it is only going to be a matter of time until their creative energies are once again tackling a new challenge and helping Cleveland grow. Active in local service clubs and volunteering their time and efforts to the community are also high on the list for these Cleveland entrepreneurs.
As soon as this duo completes their current projects, they will undoubtedly find even more opportunities to rebuild and restore in Cleveland. While they take great pride in what has already been accomplished, it is certain that in the future they will invest themselves in even more efforts to revitalize their old hometown. DBJ
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