Places to Eat

Krank Studios: Explore a Wonderland of Art & Food in This Texas Town

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Tony Maples Photography

 

Head down the rabbit hole and discover a hidden wonderland. Located across from the courthouse in Brownfield, Texas, Krank Studios is poised to put this small West Texas town on the map. A historic bank building is now home to Krank Koffee Co., Mad Hatter’s Pizza, and Krank BBQ, all featuring eye-catching and jaw-dropping art inspired by Alice in Wonderland. From the giant hand reaching out of the ceiling to a doorway shaped like an 11-foot-tall keyhole, the entire building is an art project that rivals anything a big city like Austin has to offer. Soon, a second-floor, boutique hotel and a basement speakeasy will be added to the array of businesses at Krank Studios.

Krank Studios: Explore a Wonderland of Art & Food in This Texas Town

Photo: Max McNabb

Dusty and Cory Caswell are the couple behind this West Texas wonderland. Along with their twin daughters, they run all the businesses at Krank Studios. The couple’s artistic vision is nothing short of profound–all the more so when you realize they’ve done the monumental work of remodeling the building by themselves, despite the fact neither of them had carpentry experience. “We wanted to do the most artistic thing we possibly could,” Cory Caswell said.

all over

Photo: Max McNabb

“We want it to be like a living art studio,” Dusty Caswell said. “Every single angle, no matter where you photograph, it’s photographable all the way through the entire building.” The Caswells are native to the Brownfield area, but they spent several years in Dallas as highly-successful photographers. For two years in a row, Cory was named Metroplex Photographer of the Year. After Cory’s grandfather suffered a heart attack, the couple returned to West Texas to help with the family farm. Later, with the modest intention of acquiring a small space for a photography studio, the couple ended up purchasing the sprawling, 1903 bank building, and their most ambitious dreams began. “Within 20 minutes, my husband had bought every bit of this,” Dusty said, laughing.

Krank Studios: Explore a Wonderland of Art & Food in This Texas Town

Photo: Krank Studios

A visit to Krank Studios is unforgettable. The commitment to artistic mastery doesn’t end with the décor and layout. The most compelling art at Krank Studios is their delicious food and coffee. “It’s high-end, top shelf across the board,” Dusty explained. The pizza and BBQ are cooked on oak wood, and the ingredients are kept as local as possible, with no expense spared to offer patrons the highest-quality meals. The wine tasting room features selections from 12 of the vineyards that make Terry County the wine capital of Texas.

duck awat

Photo: Max McNabb

“We always get asked, why Brownfield? Our answer is why not?” Dusty explained. “If we were to do a building like this in downtown Dallas, this would be a 10 to 20 million dollar project. I think small towns are the way the world needs to go.”

The historic bank building, the oldest of its size in Terry County, was constructed in 1903, and it’s reputed to be haunted. By the time Krank Studios is complete, it will host 10 businesses. A 1920s-style speakeasy in the basement will require a password to enter. Each room in the boutique hotel on the second floor will have its own special shock-and-awe, from the Mermaid Room which feels as though you’re under the ocean to a spooky-chic room which can only be described as Mary-Poppins-Goes-Goth. A photography studio, hookah lounge, wedding venue, women’s spa, and more are all in the works.

krank st

Photos: Krank Studios

Surprisingly for a small Texas town like Brownfield, the majority of Krank Studios’ customers have been travelers. “Last week we had someone from Brazil and India,” Dusty said. “We always have people from Austin, Houston, and Dallas, but we had a guy from Australia the week before. Brownfield is halfway in between everywhere, apparently.”

Krank Studios: Explore a Wonderland of Art & Food in This Texas Town

Photo: Max McNabb

Everything in this incredible building is a story from Dusty and Cory’s travels, history, and work. “We’ve lived a lot of different lives,” Dusty said. “We’ve been farmers—you might not expect a woman to have driven tractors pulling 16-row equipment, but I’ve done it. We’ve gotten to travel the world as photographers, we’ve photographed Dallas Cowboy weddings. We have all this knowledge, and we’re excited to be able to put it under one roof for the first time in our lives. We want every single person to feel super welcome here, because we built this for the world to enjoy.”

For full hours and more info, be sure to follow Krank Koffee Co. on Facebook. Krank studios is located at 103 South 6th Street on the town square in Brownfield, Texas.