Preservation and Persistence – outsmartmagazine.com
“To say that Gilbert has a heart of gold is an understatement,” she observes. “He has been a lifesaver and dear friend to those lucky enough to know him.”
Perez had worked for several years at EDS before quitting his job in the early 1990s to pursue his passion for interior design. He studied at the University of Houston and Houston Community College, landing an internship with noted designer Tim Hamrock. In 1995, Perez opened his own design firm, Bespoke by GJCD.
He also emerged as a prodigious fundraiser during the 1990s, which proved to be the darkest days of the AIDS crisis. He was a leader in organizing two of the most popular LGBTQ social events of that era—Halloween Magic and Jungle Lust, which helped to raise over $1 million for AIDS charities in the process.
At one point, Perez was invited to participate in a Halloween Magic satirical performance that raised funds for HIV-related causes. “They were looking for someone Hispanic to play a drag queen in the production of The Roxie Horror Beauty Shop,” he recalls. “For that first year of Halloween Magic, I had a lot of friends, and brought a lot of sponsors to the table, and raised $10,000.”
The character he created and portrayed, Venezuela Maria Concepción de Los Angeles Valdez Vallejo Gonzalez, caused a sensation.
Over the years in different Halloween Magic productions, she morphed into a woman and became a fan favorite. Crowds flocked to Halloween Magic year after year, providing a crucial source of funding for grassroots AIDS organizations struggling to keep their doors open. Perez played a pivotal role, both on stage and behind the scenes, organizing the event.
In 1996, he moved to the Houston Heights. “We were on the west side of Heights Boulevard, the ‘wrong side,’” he comments. “The west side was a much more marginal neighborhood than it is now. It was artsy, and there were a lot of gays living here. I liked the eclecticism of the neighborhood.”
A few years later, he remodeled his house, and the results were so impressive that it was featured on the Heights Home Tour. He then began receiving numerous requests from others to renovate their homes. Eventually, bungalow renovations became the primary focus of his business, and in 2003 he founded Bungalow Revival.
Over the years, as gentrification in the Heights increased, he grew more and more concerned. By 2006, more than two bungalows were being torn down each week, on average. He came together with a group of other concerned citizens to form Save the Bungalows.
Eventually, the group succeeded in having various parts of the Heights declared historic districts. After a protracted battle, historic-district designations were affirmed by the Texas Supreme Court in 2021, a significant victory for preservationists.
Today he focuses on finding unique products for Bespoke, his home-décor store which stocks chic and innovative items. The shop is housed in a historic Heights bungalow that Perez lovingly renovated at 501 West 11th Street. He travels to New York City twice a year to go to the markets.
He’s also on the lookout for inventory during his world travels. “When I go to Chicago, I love looking for Mid-century glassware and barware because there’s a large supply there,” he notes.
Perez and his partner, Andre Avina, travel often, whether it’s a getaway to their beach house in Galveston or trips to New York City to catch the latest Broadway shows. But the Heights still maintains an irresistible allure for the couple, despite the gentrification that has changed the neighborhood over the last two decades.
“What I love about the Heights is that it feels like you’re driving into a small town in the middle of a big city,” he notes. “When you come in from Montrose, you almost feel like you’re in a different town. It doesn’t feel like you’re in the rest of Houston.”
For more information, visit bespokebygjcd.com.