Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Curtis.
Hi Eric, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
For most of my life, I followed a very traditional path. I built a successful career in corporate operations, working my way up inside large organizations. It was stable, predictable, and on paper, it looked like exactly where I was supposed to be.
But behind the scenes, something different was unfolding.
About 11 years ago, my wife, Ginger Curtis, felt called to build something of her own. That became Urbanology Designs, an award-winning interior design firm that started from nothing more than vision, grit, and a willingness to learn as we went. In those early days, I wasn’t “in the business” officially, but I was all in. Late nights, weekends, spreadsheets at the kitchen table, helping wherever I could.
As her business grew, so did this quiet realization: what we were building together mattered more than anything I was doing on my own.
The turning point came when we were searching for a space for Urbanology Designs. Everything felt generic or overpriced until one day I noticed an abandoned firehouse across from our church. It had been sitting there for years, overlooked and forgotten. But that day, something shifted. I remember thinking, “Why can’t we buy that?”
That single question changed everything.
We purchased the building and completely reimagined it. What was once an abandoned firehouse became something entirely new, designed by Urbanology Designs into a space that is now widely known as one of the most unique and sought-after venues in the DFW metroplex. Today, Urban Firehouse is not just a venue, it’s a place people are drawn to, a place with history, character, and soul.
A few years later, I made the decision to leave my corporate career and join full-time. It was one of the hardest and best decisions I’ve ever made. I didn’t step into something certain, I stepped into something meaningful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been easy, and in many ways, that’s what makes it worth it.
The biggest challenge for me was fear. Not abstract fear, but real fear. Providing for a family, walking away from steady income, losing benefits, stepping away from a career I had spent years building. There was also a personal cost, letting go of an identity that felt safe and familiar.
What helped us move forward was getting honest about it. We didn’t ignore the fear, we broke it down. We put everything on paper: the risks, the costs, the unknowns. And what we realized was that staying where we were also came with a cost.
On the business side, taking on an abandoned firehouse was its own challenge. There was no blueprint for what we were doing. It required vision, resilience, and a willingness to take on something that most people would have walked away from.
But those challenges are what shaped the story. And today, that building (the one that used to be overlooked) is something the community has embraced. It’s become a bit of a local darling, and that’s incredibly meaningful to us.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Today, my role sits behind the scenes, but it’s deeply connected to everything we’ve built.
At Urbanology Designs, I focus on the business side, operations, finance, HR, and strategy. Ginger is the visionary. She sees what something can be. My role is to help make that vision real in a sustainable, scalable way.
With Urban Firehouse, what we’ve created is something more than just a beautiful space. Yes, it’s visually stunning, designed by an award-winning firm, but what truly sets it apart is the feeling people get when they walk in.
People don’t just book events here. They connect to it.
They love that it used to be a firehouse. They love that it has a story. We’ve met guests who remember it from decades ago, people who knew firefighters who worked there, even former firefighters themselves. There’s a sense that when you host an event here, you’re part of something bigger than just the moment.
In a market full of event venues, Urban Firehouse stands apart because it means something. It’s one of a kind, and people feel that.
What I’m most proud of isn’t just the business, it’s what it represents. We’ve built something that creates experiences for people, provides opportunities for our team, and contributes to the community in a real way.
And personally, I’ve had the privilege of stepping into that alongside my wife, bringing my strengths to complement hers, and building something together that neither of us could have done alone.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Fear will always be there. It doesn’t go away just because you have a good idea or a solid plan.
But here’s what I’ve learned. Fear becomes a lot less powerful when you face it directly. Break it down. Put it on paper. Understand the real risks instead of letting your mind exaggerate them.
And then, when you’ve done the work, when you’ve thought it through and prepared as best you can, there comes a moment where you just have to move.
Life is short. And in my experience, the weight of wondering “what if?” is heavier than the risk of trying and failing.
For me, the only real regret is that I didn’t make the leap sooner.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.urbanfirehouseevents.com/home
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbanfirehouse/
