[SLIDESHOW] How Preservation Transformed Two Small Towns in Kansas

Posted on: December 26th, 2012 by Gwendolyn Purdom 3 Comments

For our upcoming winter issue of Preservation magazine, I had a chance to travel to rural Plainville and Hays, Kansas, where I spent a few days with entrepreneur Chuck Comeau, the founder of Dessin Fournir and a designer who has been buying up empty historic storefronts and reviving them to house his luxury furnishings business and other ventures for nearly 20 years.

The magazine didn’t have enough pages to include all the cool pictures photographer Jason Dailey took of these now-vibrant communities, so we’ve put together a slideshow for you with some of the shots that didn’t make it to print. Enjoy!

Dessin Fournir’s marketing, sales, and graphics departments are located in this 1910 grocery store which later became a donut shop at 223 West Mill St. in Plainville.
Gwendolyn Purdom

Gwendolyn Purdom

Gwendolyn Purdom is an associate editor at Preservation magazine. A Chicago native, Gwendolyn is passionate about the people and stories behind historic places – the quirkier the better.

Preservation Magazine, Revitalization, Slideshows

3 Responses

  1. Cher@NewburghRestoration

    December 26, 2012

    Great inspiration!

  2. Jim

    December 26, 2012

    Next time you’re in Kansas, please stop in Lindsborg. Its blacksmith shop will soon be highlighted through Preservation GreenLab.

  3. Brooke

    January 11, 2013

    This is what I love about our small town. I LOVE that Chuck chose to purchase these buildings and renovate rather than demolish and rebuild! I recently was able to purchase an old schoolhouse in the area and will soon be converting it into our home! I love the idea of keeping history alive!