Frontage feud

BY NADINE ARMSTRONG

The Hants Journal

NovaNewsNow.com

While most in downtown Windsor are giving a nod of approval to the new frontage colours, one building has business owners seeing red. Or should we say blue? “We feel like were living in a Smurf village,” says Pam Kinsman, owner of Signature Glass and president of the Windsor Business Enhancement Society of the bright blue paint applied recently to exterior of her shop. “It’s a hideous colour.”

Two other tenants, Annette Ledson of Cuticles and Sequels Boutique owner Jocelyn Wright, agree and under the handle of “Smurfettes” the trio’s objections were posted on a downtown billboard that nabbed interest from curious passersby.

It reads: “We didn’t pick it and we’re feeling kinda blue”.

Statement as bold as the colour

It’s a statement as bold as the colour that now adorns their shop frontage, Kinsman said. “Yes, it’s fresh and it’s bright and we have nothing against bright colours, but of all the shades of blue they could have picked this is the worst. It looks like leftover boat paint.”

Kinsman said the garish colour would have a negative impact on business. “We three work hard to keep a high-end profile and this just cheapens the whole building. We’re a heritage building, in a heritage town and this is not a historic colour by any means.”

The three tenants have occupied that corner of Gerrish and Water Streets for the past seven years and have earned accolades for their creative and tasteful window displays. They now fear the exterior itself will attract more attention than the products on display inside. “People don’t realize how much work goes into a beautiful window display and this colour devalues the products we are trying to promote. From a business owner’s perspective it’s a huge issue for us.”

Wright says they plan to send a letter outlining their concerns to the building owner, Wayne Turner, but aren’t counting on a quick reply. “They didn’t even give us a choice of colours to choose from; they just showed up one day and the blue was there.”

She owns a popular ladies apparel shop and says although the building was in need of a few touch-ups, they could have done without the poor colour choice. “We had looked forward to the building being painted, but the end result was very disappointing. It’s a beautiful building and it’s kind of a shame to see this happen. Our curb appeal has been vandalized.”

Building’s co-owner defends the choice

The building’s co-owner, Scott Geddes, proprietor of the Cocoa Pesto Bistro, is well known for his preference for bright colours, but these business owners say this time he missed the mark.

However, Geddes defends his choice, noting it is complementary to the other buildings in the area. “We wanted something that would make the businesses in the building pop and stand-out and that is a good thing when you’re selling a product.”

Geddes says the business owners were shown a rendering of the building in the first colour choice, but it did not meet with favour either. “At some point someone had to make a decision. The building was looking shabby and we needed to do something and we felt this colour worked. “

He adds that although colour choice is very subjective, he has received some positive feedback. “The thing is not everyone is going to agree, but in my experience people like to see a colourful building and I think we’ve done something good here for the downtown. Blue is the colour of prosperity.”

Besides, he adds, paint doesn’t last forever. However, he has no intention of brushing over this latest colourful endeavor. For now, the blue stays.