The Rusty Relic

We’ve been a little MIA lately… and for good reason.

If you’ve been wondering where we’ve disappeared to, we’ve been pouring every ounce of our time, energy, and heart into bringing The Rusty Relic to life. Every single day gets us one step closer, and we can finally see the finish line coming into view.

This dream isn’t being built by contractors alone. It’s being built by family, friends, and people who simply show up because they believe in what we’re creating.

💕 A huge THANK YOU to:

Karen Gileta (Larissa’s mom) she has been an absolute force on this project. Along with her amazing friend Suzette Collins Arroyo, together they were the dream team that transformed the entire first floor by painting every inch of drywall (TWICE!). Karen also finished staining the interior shop awnings, completely gutted both bathrooms, and prepped them from top to bottom for their full remodel.

Erin Nelson jumped in without hesitation and helped bring one of our favorite visions to life by starting the staining of the interior shop awnings.

Chip (“The Bobcat Guy”) worked his magic on the parking lot leveling the ground and preparing it for stones.

Raymond Gileta (Larissa’s Uncle) has been one of those people you can count on for just about anything. Whether it is cleaning up and expanding/grading the property, pressure washing the storage building, sidewalks, exterior sides, jumping on equipment, or stepping in wherever another set of hands are needed, he never hesitates to help. He’s worn a lot of different hats throughout this project, and his willingness to tackle whatever’s needed to be done has played a huge part in getting us to where we are today.

Nicole Zock has been an absolute machine throughout this entire project. As one of the owners, she’s been right in the trenches every step of the way, doing whatever’s needed to be done. She tackled countless drywall repairs throughout the building to get every wall ready for paint, helped keep the never-ending cleanup under control, and then climbed into a 35-foot boom lift to pressure wash the roof and prep the exterior for its fresh coat soon. She’s also earned the unofficial title of “Larissa’s Reality Check.” 😂 Whenever Larissa walks in with that look that says, “I’ve got another idea…” Nicole is usually the first one to ask, “How much is this one going to cost?” or “Are we building it… or rebuilding it?” Somehow she keeps one foot on the brake while Larissa has both feet on the gas, and together they’ve made a pretty great team.

blessed oyster art took on one of those jobs that most people would overlook but everyone will notice when they walk through the doors. She spent hours carefully spray painting light fixtures, giving them a fresh new look that ties the entire building together.

Jeff Fryar has been the foundation behind this entire renovation. From the biggest structural challenges to the smallest finishing details, he’s poured an incredible amount of skill, time, and heart into this project. No matter what obstacle came our way, Jeff found a solution and kept us moving forward. He also deserves a special award for keeping up with Larissa’s endless stream of creative ideas. She is constantly finding unique pieces, dreaming up new layouts, and envisioning ways to weave them into the building’s design. More than once, that meant changing plans, tearing something back apart, or rebuilding it again entirely to make the vision even better. His craftsmanship, patience, creativity, and unwavering dedication are built into every corner of The Rusty Relic. Quite simply, this dream wouldn’t be where it is today without him.

And then there’s Larissa Gileta Zock…
If you’ve ever wondered why something looks different every time you stop by… chances are Larissa had another idea. Usually around 2:00 AM. She’s been involved in every single aspect of this project from day one. The designer. The visionary. The planner. The project manager. The voice on Facebook. The one sketching ideas on random scraps of paper, meeting with vendors, organizing materials, coordinating crews, answering calls, moving furniture, cleaning up, and somehow convincing everyone that “it’ll only take five minutes.” (Spoiler: it never does. 🤣)
If something got built… she probably designed it.
If something got rebuilt… she probably had another idea. The Rusty Relic has Larissa’s fingerprints on every square inch of this building. Her creativity, determination, and just the right amount of organized chaos have turned an old building into something truly one of a kind.

This place has become so much more than a rebuild though. It’s becoming a reflection of everyone who has poured their time, sweat, laughter, and love into it.

We truly cannot wait to open these doors and finally welcome all of you inside.

We’re shooting for a July opening!
An exact date is still to be determined, but trust us… we’re getting close.

Thank you for sticking with us through the silence. We miss seeing all of you more than you know, and we promise it’ll be worth the wait.

Vendors and applicants, please stay tuned. If you haven’t heard from us yet, answers are coming! Be ready!

The countdown is officially on… 💙

It’s funny how progress doesn’t always look glamorous.

Sometimes it looks like dirt, stumps, and a whole lot of hard work.

But when we look at these two photos, all we see is momentum. 💙

One step closer.
One project closer.
One dream closer.

And that’s a pretty incredible feeling.