That's right: with two college degrees from UNT, seven years as a DFW teacher (Irving, Gunter, and Frisco), and one year as a full-time Celina business owner under my belt, there are changes on the horizon.
A little background:
After growing up in Prosper and attending K-12 school there, I moved to Denton for college, then to Irving, then back to Prosper, and finally settled in Celina where I started T.C. Hall Leather as a slow, unsure hobby. About a year ago this month, I took my business full time, with all the wild, wonderful questions that accompany such a switch. Couple this already massive life change with my wife changing careers as well, and there you have a recipe for something completely unprecedented, but much needed, for our small family.Â
I have lived in DFW for over 3 decades and experienced the incredible growth of highway 289 from a tiny 2-lane capillary to a massive, 6+ lane artery. I have seen Prosper morph from a school district of two buildings (elementary in one and everyone else in another!) to a city breaking ground on its 3rd high school, with more middle and elementary schools than I can count. One of those elementary schools is named in honor of my mom, Joyce Hall, who dedicated as many years to Prosper schools as I have been alive and who happily lives there still as a highly involved member of the community.
I loved my childhood in Prosper. I loved visiting my grandparents in West Texas. I loved, and love still, this larger-than-life state and its people. Some time ago, my wife and I (with important input from our dog, Belle) decided that it was time for a little exploration. The freedom to move wherever you like is a precious, rare thing, often fleeting, and worthy of exploring when it arises, even if only to see what it's all about.
Our new location, maybe only for a year, but possibly longer, will be Charlotte, North Carolina. After several visits to the city, it called us back in a big way, and we feel that now is the time to answer.
This move is not without fear and not without sadness, but it is full, absolutely full, of hope and excitement. Thank you to everyone who has supported our family over the years, and don't forget about us; we'll be back on the regular. You mean the world to us.
Effective 8/5, orders will be temporarily suspended at T.C. Hall Leather so that we can pack and move. My hope is to be fully operational again by the first week of September in time for the Fall design season. During the down time, I will continue to chat with customers and design bespoke commissions, but no work will be done in the shop for several weeks. Please continue to message both on our website and on Instagram to plan your next wallet, watch strap, belt, or bag.
This is not goodbye; with the power of technology and the occasional plane ticket, you'll feel like we're still right down the street.
Much love,
Thomas (and Courtney and Belle) Hall