When I arrive in San Antonio, I expect to encounter “bigger in Texas.” What this trip is really about, I soon learn, is slower in Texas. As I walk up the front steps of a well-shaded 100-year-old brick building that headquarters Cultus Artem—a niche fragrance studio housed in a former Southwestern Bell telephone exchange—a small vintage plaque by the doorbell reads: “Please Ring Bell. And Wait.”
On an unseasonably cold day, I sit with Cultus Artem founder Holly Tupper and her small team of four at a large dining table in the center of the office for a family-style lunch. The industrial space is perfectly styled with antique finds from Tupper’s world travels—she also designs and creates Cultus Artem skincare and one-of-a-kind fine jewelry here. Sun beams through the original 10-foot windows onto the beautiful spread: salmon, gourmet cheeses, warm rolls, and a fresh green salad. No laptops in sight, no phones out save for mine recording our discussion. I assume the relaxed meal is specially prepared for my visit, but quickly learn that this is, in fact, standard operating procedure: make and share meals together, away from screens and Slack messages, a few times a week. Fittingly, the Cultus Artem chemist, Danya Batallas, also makes the salad dressing.
