dig thiS

M oto art

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SouthBaydigS.coM | 1.13.2012

W ritten By: Q u in n r oBertS When dave hall and business partner donovan fell moved their company to a 20,000 square foot facility in el Segundo last year, they knew it would be the perfect location only four miles from los angeles international airport. thats because both run Motoart designs, which creates high quality corporate and home furniture made from vintage airplane parts. that is the beauty of el Segundo, that we are five minutes from the terminals, hall said. We have a lot of clients, international ones that fly in, so it makes sense to be here. it really is the aerospace capital of california. right in the heart of the South Bay, Motoart, which was born over 10 years ago in halls garage, is now a thriving business. With distributors in Maryland, italy, china and Malaysia, the companys eclectic and functional creations have popped up throughout the world. Motoarts pieces can be seen far and wide, from a north pole military base to Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world in the united arab emirates. creating both corporate and home furniture, Motoart clients include: paramount pictures, 19 entertainment, northrup grumman and even highpowered celebrities. its about owning a piece of aviation history, hall said. We just kind of made it up as we were going along. there was no plan. it has to be something fun and recognizable to the eye, so you look at it and know what it is. Making everything from wing desks to fuselage conference tables to albatross float tank couches, Motoart finds parts in every corner of the country, many of which have come from arizona and new Mexico. hall and fell also recently found a surplus of skeletal frames in the Midwest. hall said many of the vintage pieces, including the B-25 bomber desk, have been found in such oddball places as barns or through long chains of people who know part owners. ive seen our stuff installed in many different environments from offices to kitchens. people just like it because it is different and historical and tells a story, hall said. We offer something very truly unique. yet, such unique ideas and features can come with a hefty price tag. While the custom made 1930 Wako conference table is the most expensive piece in Motoarts collection at $75,000, the company also has fuselage picture frames and piston desk watches that are under $300. Motoart desks and conference tables, which are the companys most popular items, range in price from $6,500 to $30,000 and $10,000 to $75,000, respectively. each piece is crafted and assembled in el Segundo with up to 16 employees involved in the building, sanding and polishing of each item. We just want to make a difference, hall said. We wanted to make a name for ourselves and knew we had a great idea. i want to leave a mark. We have a sense of wanting to change the world by thinking differently.

1.13.2012 | SouthBaydigS.coM 31