SAM MELTON SHOP TOUR
Ashley Evans
“I have this feeling deep in my bones that my town has the potential to be something great and I want to be a part of that.” Hemphill, Texas native and resident Samuel Melton says of his hometown. In 2017 Samuel bought a dilapidated 1920 men’s clothing store on the square of this small east Texas town. After a few years of allowing the building to sit and plans to be made renovations began as Samuel established his shop, Lonesome Pine Home, to begin life in a space he rented on the opposite of the small town’s square.
“I moved from the big city (Dallas) with $100 in my account back to my hometown to start a shop that may or may have not worked. I believe firmly in doing the dreams you have before it’s too late,and that’s what I’m doing now.” The shop is Samuel’s vision, with the old meeting the new in this store, leaving plaster walls cracked and exposed as well as the old tin ceiling tiles used to create a large focal wall that greets you as you walk in. All these things present a story or an idea that Samuel want to convey.
“Vintage finds and restoration, work because I grew up in this life of antiques and vintage, it is in my blood. I watched my parents hunt for those treasures all-round the South as a kid. I grew into finding what I loved, which is furniture and things to be used in a home that have stories.”
Samuel’s largest project in this small town has been remodeling his great grandparents’ little house near the Sabine National Forest. “It has been an act of love to my heritage.” Old paneling has been replaced with large planks of 12 inch wood from his grandfather’s furniture store. The kitchen was taken back to all open shelving with large blonde hickory shelves he had planed from a tree on his land. “I used found lighting mixed it with hand forged Texas made lights to give artisan touches. I also laid local hand made tiles from Thro Cermaics on my entryway floor. The little house is not much, but it’s mine. This something I couldn’t create where I was in the city.”
“We are a town of people looking for a life different from most. I like the term Urban Exodus to mean make your life on your terms in a small town hidden in lush pine forest. We sit on one of the largest lakes in Texas dividing us from Louisiana. With a small town comes small businesses that I love to support. From meat markets, quilt shops, new wineries, hidden swimming holes, and many more places to explore here. I try to tell anyone who walks in the shop about this hidden gem I call home. My town is a underdog story waiting to be told with many flocking here finally finding old buildings and homes waiting to be restored. We are at a start to that feeling in my bones of “something big is coming”.
