Something old
Edmond shop turns trash into treasure
Edmond store Earth Cuckoo features cast-off items that have been turned into works of art by owner Jonathan Marks.
EDMOND — Jonathan Marks is always thinking about how an old, wornout thing-a-ma-jig can be creatively used in a new way.
You can see his thinking in everything he sells at Earth Cuckoo, which opened Nov. 17 at 1000 S Broadway.
“This fulfills a need of mine to be creative, taking things that maybe somebody else considers junk or trash, and turning it into something beautiful,” Marks said.
A lifelong Edmond resident, Marks remembers how his grandparents and parents kept everything, often finding uses for the stuff that differed from their original purposes.
Inside the store, shoppers can find lots of that. Items include old furniture turned into works of art, old signs, and lamps made out of unusual materials, like some hanging over the store’s checkout counter that were fashioned from old roofing turbines.
They also can buy metal sculptures that have glass elements, rugs, glassware, candles, incense, Made in Oklahoma products, and various other oddities that might catch their eye.
Marks said he hopes the store and its goods are indescribable, in a way.
“I don’t want it to be patterned after anything else,” he said. “I want to bring in things that inspire me.”
Artful therapy
Marks said he began dabbling in repurposing materials about five years ago when he rebuilt a shed at his home.
He cleaned the shed out, then gutted and rebuilt it using reclaimed wood, metal beams and old wood out of an attic for its flooring.
The work was therapeutic, he said, since there’s not a whole lot of room for that type of improvising when he’s replacing the roof of a homeowner as part of Aegis Roofing.
“I ignited a passion for taking something ordinary and turning it into something more special,” he said.
Next up for Marks was a project he took on a couple of years ago to rebuild a house on S Boulevard, just across from a cluster of trendy restaurants south of Stephenson Park.
Then, Marks heard about the building where his store is located being available. It had been owned for decades by the same family, and originally was a Texaco station.
For him, it was an opportunity to bring the building back and show off some of its character.
“I don’t know if it was a right place at right time kind of thing, or destiny, or what, but I could immediately see potential in this property.”
Its acquisition gave Marks a place where he could take his passion for turning old stuff into art to a new level, and, where he could show it off to others.
But a museum wasn’t part of his plans.
“You have to make money, so the retail part of it came in.”
Quirky and fun
As a boy growing up in Edmond, Marks often saw the Earth Cuckoo (a roadrunner), as he was always having fun doing outdoor activities.
While he doesn’t see them as often these days as he did back then, the bird inspired him because he said it signifies what he loved about nature as he was growing up.
Also, it has a fun, quirky feel to it and calls up an environmental awareness that means much to him.
“It just hit me,” he said, adding, “it was a match made in Heaven, right there.”
As the store’s first year of business continues to unwind, Marks said he plans to expand its offerings into the building’s outside area, introducing more items that incorporate plants into their design.
“We have a few plants inside, but that’s part of my passion — one of the things I love.”
Marks said he also hopes to host occasional food trucks and live music at the store.
“I don’t want to create a big party atmosphere, but I do want to create one where you can just go and chill, relax,” he said.
“For me, it is about letting go of your worries. That is what this place does for me. It allows me to be in a happy place.”
For me, it is about letting go of your worries. That is what this place does for me. It allows me to be in a happy place.” Jonathan Marks, owner of Earth Cuckoo