AUDIO Transcript: Hellhammer Design and Cosplay
Caitlin McDonough: Walking down a street like this, you wouldn’t expect to find anything out of the ordinary. That’s until you take a deeper look at the second floor of one man’s house to realize something extraordinary is happening inside.
Caitlin McDonough: At 310 Montrose Avenue, you’ll find Hellhammer Design and Cosplay, a workshop tucked inside the home Greg Baron has lived in since he was a kid. But making designs started as more than just a hobby.
Greg Baron: Basically, my mother was in the hospital with cancer. I started doing this as a release to keep my mind busy so I can keep moving. It was very hard to accept.
Caitlin McDonough: The outlet originally started in his bedroom where his first project was Iron Man.
Ron Baron: “I remember he just started out with a printer and was trying. He went on the website. He learned off of that. He kept building and building and was experimenting with different types of products to build his stuff.”
Caitlin McDonough: As the experiments grew, so did his need for a bigger space. Baron moved to the next room and began building a new career after working as a truck driver and carpenter.
Greg Baron: I was taught, never be afraid. Never be afraid to start over. If you’re doing something, if you’re building something, and it doesn’t look right, start all over again.
Caitlin McDonough: What began as a way to cope with loss has become a passion that gets him out of bed every morning.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — With Halloween just over three weeks away, many Syracuse residents will be searching for that perfect costume. They might not have to go that far for unique designs.
Located at 310 Montrose Ave, Hellhammer Design and Cosplay was started by Greg Baron just under a decade ago. He’s always enjoyed building projects with his friends and embracing his creativity since his father was also an artist. That creative side was brought out when something unexpected happened.
“Basically, my mother was in the hospital with cancer,” said Greg Baron. “I started doing this as a release to keep my mind busy so I can keep moving. It was very hard to accept.”
Baron started his first project, Iron Man, in his bedroom. He wanted to show it to his mother when she returned home from the hospital, but she died. After that, he began to make more characters and start more projects. His brother, Ron Baron, has seen just how much passion Greg has.
“I remember he just started out with a printer and was trying,” said Ron Baron. “He went on the website. He learned off of that. He kept building and building and was experimenting with different types of products to build his stuff.”
The more Greg continued to build, the more he realized his bedroom was too small for a work space. Baron shifted his work area to the room next to his and transformed it into a studio. He embarked on a new career after working as a truck driver and a carpenter to make building props his full-time job.
“I was taught, never be afraid. Never be afraid to start over,” said Baron. “If you’re doing something, if you’re building something, and it doesn’t look right, start all over again.”