In North Seaside Village, a neighborhood as soon as lined with mid-century motels and modest flats, a brand new chapter is unfolding. The most recent arrival isn’t simply one other boutique or restaurant—it’s an artwork gallery with a mission: to protect Fort Lauderdale’s architectural historical past whereas giving locals and guests alike a motive to linger.
The driving drive behind the gallery is Abby Laughlin, a profitable actual property developer, artist, and collector with a ardour for mid-century design. Her twin background in enterprise and artwork provides her a novel perspective. “Above all, I’m a collector,” she says. “Postcards, drawings, retro items… all of them inform the story of a neighborhood and a second in time.”
The gallery is stuffed with Laughlin’s detailed drawings and prints of once-iconic motels and lodges, a lot of which have been changed by fashionable resorts. “Persons are extremely drawn to the work. Once I present them a drawing and say, ‘And now it’s the W Lodge,’ their mouths drop,” she explains. “Guests love the prospect to take house just a little piece of historical past.” Prints, fairly than originals, make it potential for anybody staying at close by lodges just like the Conrad to deliver house a reminder of Fort Lauderdale’s previous.
Laughlin has additionally authored a companion e book to her paintings, obtainable for buy within the gallery. Guests may even have their copies signed by her, including a private connection to the historical past she’s documenting.
Past her personal work, Laughlin curates retro-inspired merchandise that captures the playful spirit of the Fifties and ’60s—postcards, pin-up books, and kooky designs with UFOs. “I’m very interested in that interval of structure,” she says. “We’ve got such a wealthy historical past right here, and folks reply to the happiness and optimism of that period.”
The gallery additionally serves as a showcase for native artists, together with pottery by Karen James and Off-Middle Pottery. Related to the Wine Backyard subsequent door, the area lends itself to cocktail events and artist socials, making a vigorous hub within the neighborhood.
Nonetheless, there’s a wistful edge to Laughlin’s mission. As a developer, she understands the challenges dealing with mid-century buildings in South Florida, the place insurance coverage points and redevelopment typically imply they received’t final for much longer.
In mixing her roles as artist, collector, and developer, Laughlin has created greater than only a gallery. She’s crafted a spot the place historical past, creativity, and neighborhood converge—an ode to a disappearing period. gallery600ftl.com
