Culture
An Etsy Co-Founder and His Wife Have Big Plans for Albuquerque
From a digital fabrication startup to green buildings, Jared and Laurie Tarbell are trying to make downtown a hotbed of innovation.
When you think of Albuquerque, chances are you're thinking of one of two things: hot air balloons or Breaking Bad. But if Jared and Laurie Tarbell have their way, the biggest city in New Mexico will soon have a new reputation: as a hub for creativity, technological innovation, and sustainable buildings.
A co-founder of the online retailer Etsy, Jared Tarbell recently opened the Levitated Toy Factory, a digital fabrication and software development facility, in a downtown building that he and his wife Laurie bought and renovated. Laurie Tarbell, an advocate for urban revitalization and green building, serves as vice president of the DowntownABQ Main Street initiative.