Photograph by Madelene Travis
Anyone walking down Tejon will likely notice a change in the Poor Richard’s storefront. It includes a new color scheme, new awnings, and new signage. Interesting enough, the principal reason for this change was not cosmetic, but structural: the front of the building was separating from the rest of the structure.
“The top wall facing Tejon was in danger of collapsing on the sidewalk,” said Laslo Palos, COO of Poor Richards. “It bowed out five and a half inches in the center of the complex, right where the offices and rental areas are.” In Palos’ office, there were cracks running down the middle of the wall. “It was definitely time for something to happen.”
If you look at the establishment today, you will see 11 rows of green diamonds on the second floor. Opposite these rows, inside the complex, are 11 steel beams which stretch from the ground floor to the roof. The diamonds and the steel beams sandwich the wall. There is a mechanism on the steel beams that allows one to tighten the connection between the beams and the diamonds, which is how the wall was pulled back into place and what prevents it from bowing out again.
Poor Richard’s took advantage of this necessary change to redo the storefront’s image. One issue the company wanted to fix was the signage. The storefront was last redone in 1975, so there’s been layer upon layer of signs building up over the last 40 years. They also addressed the store’s paint job. Now they have a “unified color palette with a simplified message,” resulting in a “cleaner presentation,” which they believe is more inviting to the public.
There are two new murals by artist Douglas Rose. You might also notice that awnings now cover the front of every store in the row, not just two, allowing for “increased shade and privacy for outdoor dining,” according to Palos. People have noticed this change; Palos mentioned the positive feedback they’ve received from customers, as well as praise from the mayor.
Poor Richard’s also maintained its commitment to sustainability in this project. All the materials used in construction contained zero Volatile Organic Compounds and the old awning frames and railings were recycled to make the new ones.
Palos added that although the look has changed, the stores have not. The Poor Richard’s Complex, including the bookstore, restaurant, Rico’s Café, and toy store, is open seven days a week. For hours, visit their website at: http://www.poorrichardsdowntown.com/.