A&M University at Galveston graduates, Michael and Ashley Cordray have launched a pilot with the hopes of being picked up by HGTV.
The couple married in 2014, and their business, Save 1900, went from a part-time hobby of buying, renovating and selling houses, to a full-time career in 2015 when Michael resigned from his full-time job.
Less than a year after the business was founded, Save 1900 had developed a trademark restoration style in Galveston of saving classic homes from years or decades of neglect. Through documentation of the work they had done being posted on their Instagram page, Save 1900 captured the attention of showrunners at HGTV.
"We hadn't done many houses to that point because it was a side project for nights and weekends, then all of a sudden everyone was calling," Michael said.
According to Ashley, Save 1900 differs from other restoration businesses and shows on HGTV because they do more than "flip" houses for resale value. Save 1900 is dedicated to keeping as many of the home's original characteristics and features as possible to reserve Galveston's history in every home.
The process of preparing the pilot to air took approximately 18-months of preparation. They continued to explain that even if the show is not picked up for a whole season, the exposure has been invaluable to their mission of putting their signature touch on a town they love.
Being recent graduates, Michael and Ashley relate to the struggle and uncertainty students and recent graduates face when entering the job market. They hope to set an example for current students, recent graduates and students in the future that it is possible to turn a passion into a profession.
"If it's something you want to do, you have to be prepared and fully focus," Ashley concluded. "It's going to take a lot of hard hours and maybe going back to your college days of eating ramen noodles, but you'll get out what you'll put into it."
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