As the founder of Tanglewood Works, Sue Older-Mondeel hasn’t just helped “upcycle” the home goods she sells, she’s also taught residents along the Route 1 corridor how to do it themselves.

The Hyattsville store’s owner and resident “dumpster diva” leads regular workshops on things like how to paint used furniture, holds Facebook Live events to share DIY techniques and has started an online group for creative types.

At the same time, she’s also helping “upcycle” the South Hyattsville area. Her shop in the Sohy Arts Building has a fresh coat of colorful paint and she even helped found the SoHy Collective, using public art and community events to drive interest in the area.

The Hyattsville Wire spoke with Older-Mondeel recently about her passions and how she got into upcycling.

What is your earliest memory of “upcycling” something? Did you have a family member who you picked this up from? 

Definitely my Mom. her frugality is deeply ingrained in my sister and me. Even if we could afford something, if there was a way to make it or get it for less, that’s what we did. Our family folklore includes the story of a trip to our backyard creek one summer when down floated a pair of corduroy pants (it was the ’70s) that Momma scooped up, washed, and made one of us wear. I can’t remember who anymore. On her lastest visit to my home she and I spent hours on the floor of my kitchen painting flowers and leaves on the cracks in the linoleum. Who needs a new kitchen floor? I know have a hand-painted garden by my Mom.

When did you first realize this was something you could make a living doing and not just a hobby or habit? 

It’s always a struggle for a small business to find its market, especially a business based in the arts. We have found Hyattsville residents and city staff to be very supportive of our efforts.  We are proud to employ numerous local residents and to provide commissions for hundreds of local artists

What is your all-time favorite project that you undertook to repurpose something you had found or bought? 

During college I wanted to reinvent everything, including my preppy self. I created clothing from thriftstore finds and redecorated my apartment nearly every week if memory serves. My favorite transformation was an old  round cornered Westinghouse fridge I found on the side of the road. I sweet-talked a bunch of neighbors into helping me cart it home where I proceeded to paint it gloss black. I then cleaned it out and added a vent in the back. Voila! My new stereo cabinet! The turntable fit on the shelf, the albums went in the crisper and the speakers went on top. Having a vintage fridge in my living room was definitely a conversation starter. I not only loved my peice, I loved the reaction I got to my crazy idea. This is still my biggest motivator I think. To delight people with fun and whimsical reinvention and now I have the means to teach them how they can do that too!

Why did you move to the Route 1 corridor? 

My retail journey in Maryland actually began at Eastern Market in D.C. I knew the only way to get a spot was to go in January when competition was low. I made a friend, Lisa, while waiting in line to beg for a spot, and she took me right under her wing and said “She’s with me!” I got in that day and spent a year honing my upcycling craft. One afternoon my band, The Wild Anacostias, was playing a gig at Community Forklift so while waiting to go on stage I wandered around and thought that this place should be my next location.

I wanted to teach people what I had learned about products and techniques and help them salvage in style. I operated a booth inside for a year until I then moved into the front storefront where I operated for 3 more years and teamed up with many other artisans along the way. The move to Hyattsville was always a goal to get more visibility and to reach a new audience. It was a strange twist and turn of events, opportunities and sheer tenancity that landed us a pop-up two years ago. It was the test and bridge that we needed to make the leap to a new retail location.

I have owned and operated many businesses during my entrepreneurial journey and I’d often chosen locations outside of my town so I could keep work and home separate. I finally realized that, for me, there is no such thing, and I wanted to be a part of the revitalization of my own community.  Since opening I am proud to have spearheaded the creation of the SoHy collective as well as incubating other small businesses such as Nonasuch Vintage and CookieWear, within Tanglewood Works, that have now rented space in formerly empty blighted storefronts. Opening a shop in a high rent district is a scary thing so being able to let other entrepreneurs test the water and make sure they have a solid client base here has been very rewarding.