8 JANUARY 2015 | PARKCITIESPEOPLE.COM
BUSINESS Designers Want to Mix Form and Function At ACDC, decor is more than decoration By Todd Jorgenson
People Newspapers Patrick Farrell hates the term “decorative accessories.” So you won’t find any such one-dimensional trinkets at ACDC Aesthetic Content. The Preston Hollow resident and his partner, David Hairgrove, launched the provider of unique home decor and fragrances in June, and they’ve already started selling items in a handful of specialty shops nationwide, including several in Dallas. Among the company’s top-selling products are innovative ceramic bowls with cork-based stands from Portugal. The bowls are an example of the types of products in which ACDC hopes to specialize. “They’ve got great sustainability but they’re also functional,” Farrell said. “You don’t want to sit them around and have them gather dust.” While Farrell’s passion is in fashion and home decor, Hairgrove loves candles, and his assortment of fragrances was fine-tuned through a painstaking process that includes everything from wick consistency to blending scented oils and wax from scratch like a chef crafting a delicate dish. Farrell has a degree in industrial design and experience as an executive for chains such as Pier 1 Imports and Urban Outfitters. Hairgrove was in the airline indus-
C H R I S M C G AT H E Y
Preston Hollow residents David Hairgrove, left, and Patrick Farrell launched ACDC Aesthetic Content in June.
WHERE TO BUY n Napa Home, 4021 Oak Lawn Ave. n Nicholson-Hardie, 5725 W. Lovers Lane n Salon Pompeo at Highland Dallas Hotel n Write Selection, 314 Preston Royal Village
try and operated a retail home accessories store in Philadelphia before the duo moved to Dallas in 2013. Many of their ideas come from their affinity for trends and their extensive travels. So the first venture into wholesale for both men feels less like an entrepreneurial venture and more like a labor of love. “Our goal is to build a lifestyle brand,” Farrell said. “We felt like there was a niche in the market that was growing
but kind of missing the mark. We want to bring good designs but do it in an affordable way.” ACDC plans to unveil several new products early this year — everything from textiles and pillows to lamps and small furniture — and continued growth could lead to a storefront. “Eventually I think the retail aspect will fall under the umbrella of the brand,” Hairgrove said. Email todd.jorgenson@ peoplenewspapers.com
HP Grad Wants to Ensure Families Have Insurance Options By Paige Skinner
Special Contributor When Jack Hooper and his wife found out they were expecting twins, they found themselves in a bit of a dilemma. “We had to figure out how much [health insurance] was going to cost,” said Hooper, a 2002 Highland Park High School graduate. “We were on student loans at the time and I was needing to secure more financial aid, and we just had no idea with twins, was it going to be $5,000, $10,000, $100,000?” Hooper was using student
loans at the time because he was in graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania. After finding out about the twins on the way, he began speaking with doctors, receptionists, and insurance brokers at the university’s hospital. But the graduate student wasn’t having much luck. “None of them had any idea,” he said. “So figuring out health insurance kind of became a necessity for me and I spent a lot of time researching it, and then realized, ‘Hey, a lot of people face these kind of problems when they’re trying to choose insurance or use insurance, but
it’s kind of a black box. You get bills three or four months later and you have no idea if it’s going to be $50 or $500.” The need for more information sparked an idea, and that’s when Hooper created Take Command Health, a website that helps users find the best insurance plan for them. “What makes our website different than healthcare.gov or ehealthinsurance.com or other brokerage firms, is we’ve done a lot of extensive research on medical claims and prescription drugs,” he said.
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C O U R T E SY P H O T O
HPHS graduate Jack Hooper started Take Command Health after researching health insurance options for his twins.