Kate & I were itching to get started on the build-out of our new space. John had already emailed us renderings of the shell & I printed out a bunch of them to start sketching out equipment dimensions to get a visual.
But that wasn't nearly as exciting as actually being in there. I couldn't help myself. I started patching holes, sanding the walls & priming them to be painted.
With most Fridays now open, we decided to paint the outside of the shop. Kate & I agreed on Pacific Coast Blue. We wanted something beachy that would lure tourists in. We also wanted something that stood out between our neighbors on each side- the gray of OB Hardware & the faded off-white of The Corner [Antique] Store.
I'd picked up the paint a few days before from Home Depot & the the hardware store had plenty of ladders that we could borrow, so we were ready to roll.
We started early, around 8am, first taking down the "$2 Thrill" sign & wiping down the red rectangular area with soap & water. I kept the old sign & later gave it to one of the employees there who I used to see walking by our house all the time.
We taped everything off, primed it as best we could to cover the bright red & then grabbed some Nico's burritos for lunch. In the afternoon, using only brushes & rollers, we put three coats of the Pac Coast Blue on.
While I was painting high up & Kate was holding the ladder, a lady pushing a baby stroller said, "You missed a spot."
I guess even painters get heckled. By women in their forties.
We were now in the public eye & in the public's right of way all at once.
Kate & I finished up before the sun went down & it still holds up to this day. Other businesses around OB have also adopted various shades of light blue over the years. Maybe we picked the right color, maybe not. I never realized how important choosing a color is for your business. We thought it looked pretty good.
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