Inimitable and irrepressible Scott Morgan knows how to capture attention with marketing esprit de corps. The transplanted Californian, by way of Maine, is making his mark on High Point with the Cultural Embassy and the home furnishings industry that has etched his life.
In a ramshackle abandoned High Point gasoline station at the corner of English Road and Elm Street, a few blocks from the heart of the main Market showroom district, Scott and artist friend Katy Allgeyer have pumped up, fueled and transformed an eyesore with an attractive assortment of home furnishings.
Debuting on April 5, the arty-edgy Cultural Embassy will greet delegations of marketgoers with a unique blend of high-end furniture (new, vintage, and antique), fine art, rare and beautiful objects, and the handcrafted rugs of the Himalayan Rug Company produced by women artisans in Nepal.
For unmistakable identity, the former filling station sports a happy goldfish — yet to be named — as an endearing symbol to be the “auspicious portal to good taste, fine art, great design, unusual furniture, handcrafted rugs, rare objects of beauty, and uniquely hip cultural experiences.”
“My intention is to bring a cross-cultural, cross-global, unique mix of design and unusual products to the area,” Scott says. “When you see our goldfish symbol, you’ll know you’ve discovered a place where you’ll find an unusual blend of products and great designs.”
With plans to be open year round, the Cultural Embassy is associated with a group of kindred galleries, artists, designers, restaurateurs, and other “ambassadors” such as Red Egg, New Vintage Gallery, and Jules Art & Antiques, all of which will identify themselves with the symbolic goldfish.
Scott says he intents for the Cultural Embassy to be contagious throughout the Piedmont Triad (High Point, Greensboro and Winston-Salem) “where the artistic energy is need of places for proper presentation.
“Plans underway to develop alternative exhibit spaces and bring interesting events and cross-collaborations with museums, universities, artists, and others to this untapped area,” he explains.
An artist, designer and self-styled raconteur Scott has traveled the world over many times, attending scores of home furnishings trade shows on nearly every continent, been a judge in global competition, and served in a variety of sales and management positions including Techline and Ello.
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