Meet Christine Unruh | Gallery owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Christine Unruh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christine, what is the most important factor behind your success?

Makers Connect is successful because of amazing, talented people. Let me break that down to say, “talented people sharing a creative vision of contemporary handmade objects.’ Trust is also right up there on the list, too. I and my family work to grow, nurture, and maintain the trust of these creatives who allow us to borrow their work for periods of time. It’s trust that allows them to leave their beloved items behind and trust that they will be handled gently, sold eventually… and that they will receive payment for those sales in a timely manner.

Beyond that, there are webs of friendships that have sprung up, from the customers, to the teachers, and the artist vendors, that are impossible to ignore. It makes me glad to know that our shop has had a hand in at least a few of these maker’s connections.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?

Steve and I got the idea to reopen Makers Connect when we pulled up to a restaurant in Preston Center last fall and realized that one of Dallas’ best craft galleries, Carlyn, had closed. That night over fish and chips, we plotted how we might (MIGHT) want to bring back the shop again. I couldn’t bear the idea that all my favorite shops were closed and never coming back; places I had gone for years to buy one of a kind, handmade gifts. We knew that my favorite bead shop on Garland Road was planning on closing and that the location might become available. Despite seemingly perfect circumstances, the fear of Covid still lingered in the air, and we in turn sat on the fence of indecision for a long while, until events moved into place and we decided to take the leap again.

The new location is twice as large as the NW Highway store, and contains dedicated space for workshops. We were also able to expand our offerings of art and craft; instead of 50 or so, now we can represent the work of over 80 North Texas artists. Many of them live within 10 miles of the shop. We are truly proud to say that our work is not just locally designed and then sent out to be made, it happens with hands and hearts of real folks who you can meet and talk to. That’s what sets us apart from other high-end art galleries and also from shops who might claim they are ‘made in Texas.’ And those Texans can often be found hanging out at the shop, chatting with us and with each other; adding to their displays, and generally being awesome. We love them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

We would also have to suspend reality further and presume I could leave our shop for that long, but sure! A perfect visit would have to include lots of things, and not in any particular order:

1. Mexican Food. Every day. My sister has been living overseas for the past 20 years and I think that the things she misses most about Texas are queso, guacamole, and margaritas from Mariano’s. But we also love Matt’s Rancho Martinez, Maria’s, and Manny’s!

2. Spend a day in Fort Worth, visiting all the museums: the Kimball, Amon Carter, and Modern among them.

3. Spend time at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens, specifically the Japanese Gardens. I love taking out of towners there because they are so awestruck by the oasis of tranquility.

4. I like to drive my friends around my old stomping grounds in far east Dallas, and stop in for a drink at the Landing. Maybe some pizza at Cosmo’s or a burger at Buzz Brews.

5. Another day finds us eating (again) at Good Friend or the Whistling Pig. (We all dearly miss 20 Feet Seafood Joint and would love to see them return!)

6. We might take a drive up in North Dallas or Richardson just to toss back a few memories of growing up there, and see how the neighborhoods have changed. Maybe pop into Fretz Park Library? Interabang Books and Half Price Books are always on the good-time menu. Missing all my old CD shops.

7. I might take them to Bishop Arts if we all have been caffeinated with enough of Steve’s homebrewed coffee (we are not Starbucks nuts and don’t believe in dropping too much cash on things we can make as well at home.)

8. Patio day drinking is always in style; from Matt’s to Mi Cocina (otherwise forever known to me as Matt’s old Patio)

9. Lunching with friends is always fun at Cedar and Vine (Audelia and Walnut Hill)

10. Picnic at the north shore of White Rock Lake – on the grass or on the dock (breaking the rules!)

11. Shopping at North Park. Always a classic and continuously fascinating to me since 1969.

12. Thrifting or just exploring at Curiosities and Curious Gardens! Best antique and costume jewelry to be found.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

My husband Steve probably deserves the lion’s share of shouts for agreeing to helping me craft the reality of a brick and mortar shop. He believed in my sometimes questionable decisions for location (of our first store) and even the colors we painted the walls. It’s funny how we can disagree about the silliest things, like dish placement on a shelf, but when it comes to the big things – he can really get behind them quickly. If it wasn’t for his backing, we would have never opened a second location at the tail end of a pandemic.

A number of friends who had also sold their work at MC1 (as we refer to our first location at 10242 E. NW Highway) also deserve thanks for their advice and support and for listening to my long lists of pros and cons. They know who they are!

Finally, (this is starting to feel like an Oscars acceptance speech!) my Mom deserves recognition for her unwavering support of this vision all along. She is also my best friend and strategist, and always sees right through any drama that might unfold.

Instagram: MakersConnectDallas

Facebook: MakersConnectDallas

Yelp: MakersConnectDallas

Youtube: MakersConnectDallas

Other: Website is under reconstruction! Old website is makersconnect.org. Thanks!