Banking on KC – Megan Hoban of Prairiebrooke Arts: Crafting Corporate Identity through Art
Listen Now, or read the transcript below:
Kelly Scanlon:
Welcome to Banking on KC. I'm your host, Kelly Scanlon. Thank you for joining us. With us on this episode is Megan Hoban, the owner of Prairiebrooke Arts in Overland Park. Welcome Megan.
Megan Hoban:
Hi Kelly. Thank you so much for having me.
Kelly Scanlon:
You have such an interesting consultancy at Prairiebrooke Arts. I knew your mom when she started it, has a rich history and mission. Tell us about some of that and what inspired your mom Brooke to found it, what? Back in 1990?
Megan Hoban:
Back in 1990 is when it all started. My mom, Brooke Morehead, after working in a direct sale art company environment, decided that she really wanted to sell artwork here in Kansas City, primarily to businesses. And that's where Prairiebrooke Arts really got its start in art for commercial interiors. It wasn't long after that that she realized that all these people in offices had homes and they needed art for those beautiful spaces just like they needed it for the office setting. So with that in mind, she opened a retail storefront in Downtown Overland Park, and that's where the gallery headquarters has been since 1997. We've been so fortunate to always own our building in Downtown Overland Park, and it's a great 6,000 square foot big location that is able to house our 3,000 square foot framing operation. And being able to have everything under that one roof really is essential.
Kelly Scanlon:
And the building itself adds a lot of the ambience to it-
Megan Hoban:
Sure does.
Kelly Scanlon:
Because it's one of those older buildings, very historical, and it helps to create quite the setting for the pieces.
Megan Hoban:
It really does. And if you haven't been in, you need to come in because it's a gorgeous setting to see art. The building's almost 100 years old, has the wood barrel ceiling, concrete floors. It's a beautiful neutral setting where the art can really, really speak. And being in Downtown Overland Park is just such a great place to be right now. And having been part of that evolution over the last 26 years in the development of Downtown Overland Park has been incredible.
Kelly Scanlon:
Oh, there's a lot going on down there right now too. You'd mentioned corporate art, that your mom started mostly with the businesses. Talk to us about what all goes into the decision making when a bank or a health facility, whatever it might be, decides to hire Prairiebrooke Arts. What are all the different considerations that are made before they choose pieces?
Megan Hoban:
It's really interesting. Art, it's not only a part of decor, it's also a big part of company's branding and you can make or break your space with artwork. My mom used to always say, "It's artwork that really conveys your messaging when you walk in." If you walk into a beautiful office space and see art that isn't the right size, not the right color, not the right messaging, it can damage your opinion right when you walk in the door. So when we work with a company, we really take into account their messaging they're wanting to convey. If it's a sense of comfort in a hospital setting, if there's certain colors we need to be thinking about, we look at that, soothing, calming, a healing component. All of that is taken into account and we work to really curate unique collections that are perfect for each individual business.
Kelly Scanlon:
Walk us through what a consultation might be like. Obviously you want to get a sense of their messaging and their brand.
Megan Hoban:
Usually companies will bring us in when they're remodeling or building a new space or expanding, and so we're starting with an open palette and it's then that they really hand over the reins to us and trust us, which is fantastic to really curate that collection and come back to them with mock-ups of different pieces that work in the space. We can send them renderings of how it will all look, how it's a cohesive collection at the end of the day. We work with companies' budgets to really be on time and on budget with the delivery of a collection. Not everybody can put original art throughout an office or commercial space because usually we're dealing with 20, 30, 40, 100 pieces, which can't all be originals. So in cases like that, we put originals in more of the public areas and spread budgets with framed giclees that really are designed to look like originals, but can carry the space with size and impact without costing more.
Kelly Scanlon:
You mentioned the frame shot. Custom framing is a significant part of your services, and I've even ... I don't know if I heard you say it or maybe Brooke say it or read it on your website, but somebody referred to framing as the "Jewelry of the art piece." It just really made an impression on me when I heard it or saw it. So tell us about how framing enhances the value and the presentation of the art.
Megan Hoban:
So framing, it sounds simple. It's a frame around a piece of the art. It's meant to enhance that piece and framing done well really makes a piece timeless. I kind of look at post-COVID times when people have really gravitated more towards quality and having quality nice things in their home instead of quantity and framing is one of those elements that I think people are learning to appreciate. And going to a craftsman, both of our full-time framers at Prairiebrooke are certified to frame a Picasso. So they will take your family photo with the same gentle hands as they would a Picasso and frame it and save it using archival materials so it can look fantastic for generations to come. And that's something that I think we all appreciate anymore, is really having something that's been touched carefully with a craftsman's hands and made perfect so that you can enjoy it for years to come.
Kelly Scanlon:
And I think that's something that most of us never really think about, that actually you can get certified for different levels of framing.
Megan Hoban:
You sure can. You sure can. And we're one of the only galleries in the city that has two framing professionals that are certified.
Kelly Scanlon:
So besides framing, what are some of the other services that Prairiebrooke Arts offers to ensure the art is seamless and enjoyable, that that whole experience that you just walked us through is easy, I guess you could say for your clients?
Megan Hoban:
Because art isn't easy. A lot of people think you just walk into a gallery and pick out a piece of art, and rarely does that happen. And that's why I really credit our incredible team at Prairiebrooke who works hand in hand with everyone walking in to find the perfect piece for the space. Whether it's above your mantle, whether it's above your couch, whether it's for a conference room in a large business, we really listen to what people like and what they appreciate in art. Maybe it's color that they find happiness in, maybe it's the theme, but art really can make or break a space and be impactful in your life. It really can. When you wake up every day and see a beautiful piece of art, it starts your day off right. And just that subtle little difference can be so impactful and we just love connecting our clients to that beautiful art for their space.
Kelly Scanlon:
What challenges and opportunities do you face as a second generation owner? You've transitioned from the ownership of your mother. I know you worked together for many years before you officially took the helm. How have you made Prairiebrooke Art yours?
Megan Hoban:
It's a great question. She has laid such a fantastic foundation. The systems she put in place just work exceptionally well for our company. And to me it's just always staying current on trends and colors and artists and our clients and what they're looking for and bringing that to our gallery in Kansas City. When our clients walk in and say, "This is one of the best galleries I've been in." That's the biggest compliment. When they say, "I was just out in California or any of these big cities and I walked into galleries and I'm seeing art here that surpasses that by a long shot." That's what I want to have here in Kansas City. I want us to be a destination, and in Overland Park, a destination for great art.
Kelly Scanlon:
How do you curate your artists? How is it that you are able to bring these collections together?
Megan Hoban:
So I really seek out top artists. A lot of galleries will just take artists' submissions and they will show the artist's work. When we bring an artist on at Prairiebrooke, we're bringing on a relationship. Many of our artists we've represented for 20 plus years, and with that comes the trust that we promote their art, we are a loyal gallery and connecting them to their patrons. And so that's what I want to continue to do is bring fabulous artists here to Kansas City.
Kelly Scanlon:
And in many ways, when you bring those artists to Kansas City, you're really showcasing Kansas City to artists who would've never thought about Kansas City. So you're putting Kansas City, again, you know how our arts community is being built up in so many ways, and this is another piece of that.
Megan Hoban:
We are, and we have exceptional talent here in Kansas City that we work with. So just expanding the footprint. You need to represent our phenomenal artists here in Kansas City, but you've got to spread that footprint larger and try to bring in top artists from across the country.
Kelly Scanlon:
Yeah. So what do you do to support your artists, whether they're local, whether they're regional, whether they're national, how do you do that?
Megan Hoban:
As simple as it sounds, we sell their art. We believe in connecting our art to our clients. We don't ever make a practice of rotating free art in the commercial setting. We believe that art needs to belong to a collection. It's something important, it's important design element. Just like you don't rotate a couch or rotate different decor items, you shouldn't do that with art. You need to make an investment. And art is the most incredible investment. It's not necessarily always a monetary investment, but it's an emotional investment and one that I promise you, you will love. When you find that special piece of art, it will bring you joy and that's the best investment.
Kelly Scanlon:
In what ways does Prairiebrooke Arts contribute to the local community and engage the artists locally?
Megan Hoban:
We do events at the gallery, we promote our artists through different marketing avenues, different advertising, different events. We contribute to countless charities in Kansas City when they ask for our donations and requests, and that's how we really like to give back to the community.
Kelly Scanlon:
Yeah, you have one that I think called a trunk show that people really look forward to every year. Tell us... and you just had that.
Megan Hoban:
We really do. We had a spring trunk show and we'll do a fall trunk show. In addition, this fall, we'll have a huge Flint Hills event with some of the top Flint Hills artists in the region and feature their work for a group show, which should be fantastic in September.
Kelly Scanlon:
What's a trunk show like?
Megan Hoban:
Trunk Show is when we invite our artists who have been very busy creating for several months to bring in new works, and sometimes we'll have hundreds of new pieces, and it's a great opportunity for clients to come in and see depth of new work and new releases from different artists, and it's a great time to shop.
Kelly Scanlon:
You talked earlier about trends and staying up-to-date. So how do you stay current with art trends and also incorporate more innovative practices? I know that some people might think, "Oh, art, innovation, how do those two words go together?" But there are innovations, innovative practices, whether it's in the framing, whether it's in the installation. So tell us about some of those trends that you're seeing.
Megan Hoban:
A trend that I had a friend who's in the art business tell me, which I thought was really interesting, and it's very current to this year, is in an election year cycle, it seems that people gravitate towards art that's safer.
Kelly Scanlon:
Really?
Megan Hoban:
So landscapes more than abstracts just because they can get a sense of calm from that art. So it's interesting how trends like an election year can make a difference in art, and I've really been tracking that this year because I'd heard that saying for years.
Kelly Scanlon:
You're seeing it play out?
Megan Hoban:
And color-wise, people are gravitating towards safer colors.
Kelly Scanlon:
You talked earlier about how you're kind of tucked away there, it's on a corner, but you're tucked away there in Downtown Overland Park and people discover you a lot of times when they come in and just really a hidden gem, like so many other smaller businesses in Kansas City, just hidden gems. I mean, would you agree with that assessment, that that sums up Prairiebrooke Arts pretty well, a hidden gem?
Megan Hoban:
It's nice of you to say that, and I hope that it is, and we hear people say that it. One of our biggest challenges is getting the word out about Prairiebrooke. We're kind of the little hidden secret in the art world here in Kansas City, and once you get a chance to walk through our doors and meet our incredible staff and see the work of our amazing artists, I hope you'll fall in love. And I invite you to visit Downtown Overland Park and our corner at 79th and Santa Fe when you're down there and experience Prairiebrooke and all it has to offer.
Kelly Scanlon:
What are your future plans for Prairiebrooke Arts? How do you develop and look out 5, 10 years even? How do you envision it developing?
Megan Hoban:
I'd like to really expand our commercial footprint across the Midwest. We work with some fantastic companies that are expanding across the country and helping them do that with a collection of great art is something I really, really want to continue and continue to expand upon. And getting the word out through architects and different developers to do that is really a goal of mine.
Kelly Scanlon:
So do you partner currently with ... You hear about how in the wedding industry, the tuxedo people, they partner with other people in the wedding industry, for example, the florists and so forth. Do you do that in the art industry?
Megan Hoban:
We do on the commercial side. We have some incredible clients in designers that we've worked with for a long time who continue to use us for projects and they pick up the phone the minute they have a multifamily or a healthcare project or a commercial project. We're the first person they call when they break ground and say, "You know what? Art is at the top of our list. We know it can make or break a space and let's start working on a collection together." And that's what makes the art world fun.
Kelly Scanlon:
How long does it usually take from the time somebody contacts you and describes the project they have in mind to the final installation? I assume that depends on the size of the project, but on average?
Megan Hoban:
It's funny, some people will think of art as a last minute thought and, "Hey, we have a grand opening in a month and can you help us get a collection together?" And of course the answer is yes, and we make it work. Ideally, just even from the beginning of the budgeting, if you can earmark money for art and make it not an afterthought, but part of the initial concept for your building, it shows at the end. And on the residential side, we've been known, and actually it's been happening a lot more lately, that people come and they pick out their art before they start building their home.
Kelly Scanlon:
Really?
Megan Hoban:
And they build their home around the art. We just installed a collection for a beautiful house. It took two and a half years to build, and we've been storing the art for the last two and a half years and just installed two weeks ago. And that house looks amazing because everything's intentional. When they pick that art, then they pick the lighting around it, they pick their furniture around it, and that house is ... It's an original, it's fantastic, and it's because art was at the forefront of their thought process.
Kelly Scanlon:
So when you lock the door at night and you go home after a day of working at Prairiebrooke Art, what is it that you find most satisfying and fulfilling?
Megan Hoban:
Really that I get to be a part of making people's homes or office something special. As simple as that sounds, I am in just an incredible industry where I just get to make things beautiful every day. People always love us when we're delivering art. They smile when they see us. We hang up a piece. And it's fulfilling to know that in a small way, you've made people's lives better by introducing art to their space. One of the most fulfilling parts about what I do every day is making art accessible to everyone. Art doesn't have to cost a fortune, and we really try to make art that is affordable depending on your budget, and we want that to not be a deterrent.
Price shouldn't be a deterrent in buying art. And if you're not buying art at a gallery in town, maybe you're buying art on your travels. Maybe it's a $50 something you pick up on a boardwalk or at an art fair on a trip, and you write a memory on the back of it to remember your art purchase. If you do that, pick up one piece a year after 5, 10, 20 years, you have a collection of art. And that really is something special that you don't have to be a millionaire to have a collection of art. You just have to have intention in wanting to bring art into your life.
Kelly Scanlon:
Megan, thank you so much for brightening the worlds of so many people and the installations. We'll have to take a closer look at those when we walk through buildings, start paying attention to that more. But thank you very much for your commitment to that and coming on the show today to talk about Prairiebrooke Arts and all the work that you do that maybe some people just didn't realize.
Megan Hoban:
Thanks Kelly, for having me. Appreciate the opportunity.
Mary O'Connor:
This is Mary O'Connor, Executive Vice President for Country Club Bank. Thank you to Megan Hoban for being our guest on this episode of Banking on KC, and sharing the entrepreneurial story of Prairiebrooke Arts. From its founding by Megan's mother in 1990 to its current status as a premier gallery and custom framing destination in Overland Park, Megan shared insights into the role art plays in residential and commercial spaces, and about how Prairiebrooke Arts supports the arts community. Interestingly, just as curating an art collection requires vision and creativity, so too does passing business ownership to the next generation. It's an art form in itself, blending tradition with innovation and ensuring the company's passion and mission continue to thrive in future generations. At family-owned Country Club Bank, we value businesses like Prairiebrooke Arts that enrich Kansas City's vibrant culture. Supporting local companies is a cornerstone of our commitment to fostering economic growth and community development. Thanks for tuning in this week. We're banking on you, Kansas City. Country Club Bank member FDIC.