Tony Moorby Disconnected Jottings From

Wholesale Markets

I occasionally have lunch with Cassie Fennell of Designworks AMG, an industry colleague of such long-standing that our friendship has survived our going separate ways; she still works and I’ve been retired for almost longer than ADT Automotive was in existence.

As a creative consultant she helped steer our young company’s path through all kinds of marketing tactics, designing the merchandising methods that set our firm aside from others. Her insights helped guide our advertising and promotional activities on both local and national scales.

A parallel sense of humor and an admiration for family values has driven an enjoyable connection through conversations that cover the ‘soup to nuts’ category. We invariably start talking about the car industry, toss- ing opinions around like confetti and of course we observe the various personalities that make the business so vibrant and interesting.

An early get-together took place one mid-morning at a local Starbucks. It was late spring so we sat at a table outside among about six others, umbrellas offering a little shade in the warm sunshine. A young lady at an adjacent table had a toddler, fast asleep in a stroller, allowing a little selfish respite over a caramel macchiato.

We chatted about everything from school days and the foibles of our teachers to travels with family and Harley rides from one side of the country to the other. We talked about careers and what had brought us to the present moment. Before we knew it, an hour had passed. The lady with the toddler, who by now was stirring

By Myles Mellor

and demanding her attention, was getting up to leave. She looked over and smiled like a Cheshire cat. “I have ing.” With that, she casually left with a little wave. We’ve now graduated from Starbucks to a regular haunt at a restaurant in what was once an estate house, nowadays surrounded by modern office blocks (some of which still stand empty, post pandemic). It’s like an oasis, standing separate, swathed in Southern charm and porches. There’s a glazed garden room at the rear of the house, our preferred venue – it’s light, airy and cheerful. Attentive service is quiet and understated, leaving us to chat at leisure, without the pressure of ‘table-turn’. to tell you that I couldn’t help but eavesdrop all the time we’ve been sitting here and I’ve never been so entertained. Thank you for a the most interesting morn-

One of the most attractive things about the place is that they display fabulous artwork – something that appeals to both Cassie and me, fueling more discussion and comment.

The food is typically Southern – shrimp and grits being a regular staple along with Maryland She-crab Bisque but stabs at modern trends are often quite successful; crispy squid with a sweet and spicy Thai sauce is a favorite.

We were leaving after our last lunch and had to walk through the bar – a warm, cozy setting but the back bar is dramatically lit from the bottom, occasioning the most lustrous, glimmering display of the colored contents of the bottles. It was a photo op not to be missed. I thought it would make a terrific painting. I got home and quickly did a watercolor sketch and later, an acrylic rendition of the scene.