Pacific Coast Blue

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.   

       Pictured is our friend Marley, who doesn't seem too impressed with our paint job, standing in front of our old shop windows, August 2017.