ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – Four Abilene men are working to turn an old vacant funeral home into a place where locals will choose to spend their free time or work time. 

Driving through downtown Abilene, you may have seen the vacant Elliot-Hamil Funeral Home on Hickory Street, which has been vacant for a few years now. But stepping foot into the facility today, you would be shocked about how it has transformed. 

Tim Smith has revamped several buildings and businesses in Abilene, and when he saw this building across the street from the new hotel being built, he saw it as a challenge to make people want to go there. 

“Anytime someone tells me I can’t do something, I’m super motivated to prove them wrong,” Smith said. 

Smith brought the idea to his business partner, Colby Marcee, who got on board with it because he trusted Tim’s vision. 

“It was in really bad shape honestly. The bones were good, but it was really outdated,” Marcee recalled.

JC Eagle and Mitch Barnett also joined the partners in this project, and soon, this one building will be Peacock Plaza, open to the community for many different things. 

“Live, work, and play right here,” Smith boasted.

One building will be a workspace for anyone to rent out, whether having a membership there or getting a day pass to get some work done. There is already a waiting list for this workspace, and many entrepreneurs will begin working there, such as a marketing team, hairstylists, therapists, and more.  

This workspace is filled with artwork from local artists, including Patty Rae Welborn, Anthony Fuentes, Anthony Huff and Jennifer Jones. 

The other building will be a nicer sports bar, with an open patio and water fountain. 

“What holes are in Abilene’s ‘social life,’ I guess,” Marcee explained of the vision for the Peacock Plaza. “One of those was a big community open-aired patio.”

There is even more to this plaza than a bar and workspace. There will also be a by-appointment only tattoo parlor. 

With the plaza opening soon, Marcee encourages everyone to come for a visit, “We’re trying to create it as an environment to where everybody can enjoy something.”

Smith said he hopes for others to see for themselves, that you could never tell it was once a funeral home.

“We’re going to, kind of, be that relaxed atmosphere, and I think it’s going to be great,” Smith smiled.

The workspace is set to open on September 1, with a grand opening of the bar scheduled for September 17. For the latest updates, check out Coworking @ Peacock Plaza and Peacock Patio on Instagram.