Port in a Storm
The ladies of MAST (left to right): Tasha Bundy, Mellow Dawn Lund, Sofie Albertsen Gelb.
photo: Gerardo Leyva
Several years ago in the Lost Barrio, 299 S. Park Ave., three designers started a store that collected and sold vintage and local handmade jewelry, handbags, accessories and furnishings.
“There’s a whole genre of artisan people bringing back well-made things. That’s who we are and what we do,” explains Mellow Dawn Lund, one of the founders of MAST.
If you’ve been looking for MAST in the past few months, they’ve been undocked since May, drifting as they wait for a new port at the Mercado San Agustín to be readied for arrival. Despite the change in moorings, MAST is alive and well. Their designers are creating new beautiful pieces and are hard at work on the new space, which will feature a refined selection.
Mellow’s home workshop is patchworked with multicolored bobbins and rolls of leather waiting to be turned into something pretty and functional. She shows off a roll of white and blue leather dyed like alligator skin, and another marbled in black and gold. On her work bench is a preview of a new design element: red clutches she’s made for a bridal party – detailed with turquoise leather laces woven in the center. A loose beaded panel is waiting to add a bright yellow flash to another piece.
Gypsy chandelier hoop earrings.
photo courtesy MAST
Another owner, Tasha Bundy, reveals some new selections for men: locally made straight razors and leather shaving strops. And Sofie Albertsen Gelb is working on chain hoop earrings with antique Afghani mercury glass beads.
Until they can display their wares in the new shop, opening in October, you can shop MAST from their new and improved website (iLoveMast.com), or in person at Thee Collection Agency, LaFleur Atelier and at La Cabaña. The trio is using the time to define MAST and what they love more fully. In their own words, they sell things that are practical and pretty; handmade, durable and unique. “Each item has an aesthetic beauty, but is multi-use,” explains Sofie.
They’re taking a collection of loved objects that drove the beginning of the store and nurturing those seeds into maturity with the new space. “We did it fast and we’ve done it by the bone the whole time,” Mellow says. “But that’s given us an ability to see where we want to go and invest in the way we want to do it, how to do it.”
Now MAST is coming into its own. “It feels a little bit to me like we were toddlers and now we’re growing up a little bit,” Tasha says, “so we’re able to be a little more refined. It’s still got the same aesthetic and sensibility, but it’s just got a little bit more of a focus.”
And look out, Mellow says, for when the ship comes to harbor. “We’re going to have a real throwdown when we open. We’re going to celebrate it, big time.” Until then, go online and buy yourself something lovely.
MAST, coming soon to Mercado San Agustín, 100 S. Avenida del Convento, Suite 120. Wares are currently available at three locations: Thee Collection Agency, 222 E. 6th St.; LaFleur Atelier, 410 N. Toole Ave. and La Cabaña at Mercado San Agustín, 100 S. Avenida del Convento, Suite 140. For more info, dial 495-5920 or click on iLoveMast.com.
