Do you know C.S. Post? If not, you should! It is a wonderful site full of carefully vetted and super stylish products for your home.
An offshoot of the bricks and mortar store in Hays, Kansas, it has recently refocussed its attention on home furnishings, bringing to market designer-quality pieces, well made and readily accessible at great prices, including discounts for the trade. I just love the variety of products that represent the sophisticated design sensibility of the store. From organic shapes such as this Gypso Accent Table
or 
to the elegant lines of the Regency Bar Cart
and Antiqued Brass Pierre Table, there are many items to lust after.
And with the summer entertaining season almost upon us, C.S. Post offers a plethora of fashionable furniture and accessories for the outdoor season. I love these zinc plated iron Giverny cachepots. Just add some potted plants for instant party chic.
I was delighted to discover that the store has a great back story. Chuck Comeau was born and raised in nearby Plainville, Kansas attending college in Hays. After school he moved to Los Angeles and in 1993 founded Dessin Fournir, the luxury furniture and lighting company. He created two other start ups to add to the mix, Classic Cloth, a sophisticated textile line, and Gérard, a more contemporary furniture collection, eventually also acquiring the prestigious Palmer Hargrave, Kerry Joyce and Rose Cummings labels. But the pull of his native state was strong and as Dessin Fournir became successful, Comeau began, in 1996, moving parts of the company back to Kansas. Wanting to share his love of design and quality of life with the local community, the seed of C.S. Post was born. In 1997 Chuck Comeau and wife Shirley (the C and S in C.S. Post) joined up with two friends, Norman Keller, a florist, and his wife Sandy to open the store.
Front row, left to right – Sandy Keller, Store Manager; Shirley Comeau, Co-Founder
Back row, left to right – Norman Keller, AIFD Florist; Chuck Comeau, Co-Founder
The concept was a general store with a twist. All products, sourced from a wide variety of manufacturers, are vigorously vetted for both great design and durability. From home furnishings, gourmet food and pet products to entertaining accessories, jewelry and clothing, kitchen supplies and fresh flowers, only the best of market is represented.
The flower shop, Regeena’s, under the watchful eye of Keller, is a separate entity within the store.
The store is the result of the renovation of two combined buildings. It has a homey old fashioned general store feel combined with an eclectic modern and chic design aesthetic.
But as I discovered that was just the beginning of the story. In 1999, Comeau also created a development company named the Liberty Group to save and renovate the dilapidated downtown Hays area where he had opened C.S. Post. He remembered how neighbors used to get together and felt that the community was becoming disconnected. Comeau approached the city with his vision of what the neglected area could become. And inspired by Liberty, the community formed its own corporation, the DHDC (Downtown Hays Development Corporation). Together in 2000 they purchased 19 properties to preserve and revitalize the critical core downtown area and by 2002 businesses were opening. The area is now called the Chestnut Street district, after the original pre-1929 Main St. name.
One of the first buildings to be renovated was a combination of four abandoned storefronts hidden under aluminum siding (above). Gerald Wyman, another native Kansan, was looking to open a microbrewery in a nearby strip mall – that is until he met Comeau. Along with 52 local investors the two opened Hays’ own microbrewery, Lb. Brewing and Gella’s Diner in the summer of 2005. Four months later Wyman entered the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), winning a silver medal and has since won the World Beer Cup two years in a row.
And that was just the first. Since then many establishments have moved into these renovated spaces.
J Studio & Salon renovated a building that formerly housed the USO dances during WWII.
The “Basgall” building, a former grocery store, is now home to Paisley Pear, an interior design and kitchen accessory store.
Listed on the National Register for Historic Places and owned and operated by 5 generations of the Philip family, the Philip Hardware name will remain on the building. A tenant is moving in soon and two loft apartments are now located on the second floor.
Semolino Coffee & Eatery is a coffee shop and eatery with a gallery in the basement that doubles for public meetings and hosts many live music and open mic events.
And the initiative continues. The next projects include creating pedestrian walkways out of the alleys, hopefully renaming them after all those lost street names and renovating buildings to become loft hotels. It’s a clever idea – you would check into a main office downtown and then proceed to your individual loft space, within walking distance of gyms, restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. Here’s a drawing of the concept.
I wish Comeau and his revitalization of Hays were better known, to serve as an example to other communities. I just love this story of adaptive reuse, of a return to community downtown neighborhoods and the renaissance of American entrepreneurial spirit. People like Chuck Comeau should be receiving awards and appearing on 60 Minutes – it’s the perfect opportunity to give the design community some recognition and credit for its contributions to successfully improving our American lifestyle in an eco-friendly way. Take a look at this video, proudly made by the Kansas Department of Commerce, showing Chuck explaining some of his projects. It’s truly inspiring!!
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I’d also like to thank Billie Ayers of C.S. Post for her indispensable help in preparing this piece!
fabulous. as usual. But it is extraordinary that you featured the zinc planters. I saw them while traveling lately, but didn’t have the fortitude to bring them home. I’ve been suffering from non~buyers remorse ever sine~ thanks for the remedy!
great story and i love all the lines he created esp. Dessin Fournir. Literally, “toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore” but in a good way!
I love the commitment to home, quality, restoration/preservation and the support of a thriving community. The All American Ethic. Great Story.
This is one of my favorite of your posts, Q. Thank you so much for sharing this incredibly inspiring story. Everyone wins in this situation and it is exactly this kind of entrepreneuralship that the American economy needs to get back on track. Ideas begetting jobs creating strength. And those great building are being saved to boot. I agree, this should be on “60 Minutes”–propose it to them!
Now I am off to check out their website.
This was fascinating. i knew the very upscale brand Dessin fournir but not the story behind it. Amazing enterprising owners, to create such a success in a small town in Kansas in very inspiring. Great post, thank you.
What a a great story and a fashionable find! Too bad they’re not here in our back yard… Love the organic shapes and designs and the fact that Chuck cared enough for his hometown to come back to it!
xxoo
Great store, great products, great find, great story!
This is a fantastic post, Stacey! More and more communities should be working to revitalize! I live in a town that is resistant to “chain” stores – only a Talbots [adapt to historical spaces] and of course, a Starbucks. I love this spirit and celebrate Chuck Comeau’s hard work – and, good taste.
PS… I love the short Giverny cachepots!
great objects, great story, great post! Next long weekend I’m going to Kansas!
Great story…the store looks amazing with great products!!
So wonderful to see someone working to make their community a better place to be.
Thank you for sharing.
Teresa
xoxo
This story just got better and better as I read on! Love the community spirit. How lucky Kansas is to have them. A shopping district with history, character and local merchants is so much more vital than your typical mall or shopping center! The town where I grew up lost its downtown shopping district when a mall opened in the nearby ‘burbs. Decades later, it’s still struggling to come back. It’s heartening to read a success story in revitalization.
And I love those zinc planters. Great post !
I loved and enjoyed this post immensely! It brought happy tears to my eyes, so happy you shared this with us! What a fabulous story….this is what America is all about, the power to do anything and the spirit and will to do a good thing for the community is downright awe inspiring! I love the old fashion vibe to the store….love stores like that but clearly the offerings are gorgeous and upscale. It is so sad to see the decaying of many one time glamorous downtowns, I know of a few just around where we are, so it is truly fabulous to see someone doing Chuck did…..he should and hopefully he is a role model and champion to restore and revive downtowns, it has to start with one person and business at a time. Fantastic!!
Oh the bar cart, be still my heart!! I really believe mixing my cocktails on that beautiful cart would make them taste better. Straight to the wish list!
You have the BEST shops! Wish I could be there right now, maybe it’s cooler too. xx’s
What a great story, and it really illustrates how one person taking the first step can change his world. Credit also needs to go to those who buy into the vision.
I think one problem that smaller towns face today is the desire to become bigger (more tax revenue from big business?), rather than to celebrate and accentuate all the things that made them desireable small towns.
i loved this post and wished it too were on national television as an inspiration. with the advent of shopping malls and wal-marts, small town america withers. but resurgences are the best of the best; independent businesses and architecturally interesting buildings-no ‘cookie cutters’.
thanks for giving this story on the power of one some legs
debra
Love seeing towns revitalized like this! Also would love to have the lamp, the blue bottles and of course that fudge!
xo Cathy
sounds like my kind of store; great craftmanship which leads to longevity. thanks for sharing!
Round and round a story goes, where it stops, now we all know! That chain link chair is calling my name :) Where in the world do you come up with all these amazing features? Awesome! XO, Kelly
I’m in love with that antique brass table! I especially love when businesses are so devoted to another cause like working closely with their area. The chestnut district revamp is such a great story.
xoxo,
Chic ‘n Cheap Living
I’m so glad you posted about this company. The rep for Dessin Fournir visited my studio and told me their story and how this town has been revitalized. I love that their furniture is hand-made in America. It is exquisite! I wish them much success!
This IS the best kind of story. I thouroughly enjoyed reading this post. Bravo to the Comeau’s. What they’ve accomplished by revitalizing Hays in astounding. They’ve not only established a another great business for themselves but have given CPR to their business community. I would want to live there, shop there, just hang out. I agree, this couple and all involved should receive national attention for what they’ve accomplished. Imagine if others across our nation jumped on a band wagon just like this?! So now I’m hooked on C.S. Post & Co. Thank you for a great read!! x Deb
I have ordered things from C. S. Post for sometime now but I never knew the back story. It is such a cool store and I loved hearing how the owners revitalized the community.
It is great that you are spreading the word!
Lynn
Loving the black bookcases with ladder. Still can’t get enough of black shelves and especially in the flower shop with the hit of color from the ceramics — just great!