Dwell

Budget Breakdown: It’s Hard to Tell This South Phoenix Home Was Once a Convenience Store

Interior designer Amy Williams and trainer Elias Proce transformed a South Phoenix bodega—once equipped with a bullet‑proof cash wrap and walk‑in cooler—into a bespoke residence, honoring the building’s immigrant‑era roots. The renovation required stripping the commercial concrete shell, then rebuilding core systems. A significant portion of the budget went to HVAC, plumbing and electrical upgrades, while the owners insisted on preserving original brick, exposed trusses and natural wood to showcase the structure’s age. Design details reflect Amy’s Asian heritage and global travels, such as a custom Shoji cabinet crafted by local woodworker John from Coppola Custom Woodworking. Native‑plant landscaping and a flexible floor plan—enabled by the absence of load‑bearing walls—create an open central core, private bedrooms and a pocketed guest wing. The project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can produce unique, sustainable homes, offering a model for urban revitalization, heritage preservation, and cost‑effective, personalized living spaces.