Driving through downtown yesterday morning, I noticed a new 'do at the W. Main St. home of The Pinhook, the new bar and music spot next to the MarVell Event Center.
The Greenfire-owned property stands out quite a bit, with a very distinct new gray-and-red color scheme setting the building apart from its neighbors:
The 117 W. Main St. location looks quite a bit different now than it did last time the Google Street View sedan drove by. Personally, I like the new colors better, as surprising as it was to see upon driving by.
I noticed it yesterday as well. Was so struck by it that I took a picture of it out of my window. (at a red light...don't worry)
It looks really sharp. It really brings out the building's fine details. Pinhook FTW!
Posted by: peetoteeto | September 30, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Oooo...those colors would cause the Cary "Village" council a conniption-fit...."Red is the bad color"
I think it's cool and a neon sign or two wouldn't look out of place.
Posted by: GreenLantern | September 30, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Wow. It's amazing what the removal of beige will do.
Maybe we can get NIS to get into that business. Instead of removing historic buildings, maybe we could just get them to remove the beige from them.
After all, it's a well-known fact that beige is a public health hazard, and helps to perpetuate economic decline.
Posted by: Michael Bacon | September 30, 2008 at 12:22 PM
you know, I totally read that like someone somewhere thought that beige colored property directly correlated to increased crime. I mean, someone back me up and maybe NIS will start getting rid of it.
Posted by: Natalie | September 30, 2008 at 01:28 PM
You know, I heard that too. That make's three of us now, it must be true!
Posted by: Somebody who's not Michael Bacon | September 30, 2008 at 01:38 PM
Do you guys really like this? I think its gaudy. Its pretty close to McDonald's orange. It really takes away from the historic look.
Posted by: Carol | September 30, 2008 at 01:46 PM
what caught my eye was the asymmetry of the little first-floor cornice.... it looks like it's trying to ooze over to the MarVell building...
the colors are lively. good for them.
Posted by: eah919 | September 30, 2008 at 02:11 PM
Sure, it's bright and gaudy, but wouldn't it be great to make downtown the anti-Cary? It's been done on W. Main Street in Richmond across from VCU, and of course there's the French Quarter at the other extreme. There's no HOA downtown deciding the color palette like there is in Cary, so why not set up a string of storefronts with colorful facades that bring people downtown to take a look? After all, it's not what's on the outside but what's on the inside that counts.
Posted by: GreenLantern | September 30, 2008 at 03:12 PM
I think it's a fabulous choice of color. Unique is always a win as far as I'm concerned. Will look forward to frequenting it.
Posted by: the gourmez | September 30, 2008 at 06:15 PM
GL, Don't worry. We already are the anti-Cary. I hope that we don't hide the beauty of our buildings under layers of what I still think is McDonald's orange.
Posted by: Carol | October 01, 2008 at 10:46 AM
I like the brown paper on the windows.
Posted by: Lenore | October 01, 2008 at 09:04 PM
I'm confused by the assertion of "McDonald's orange" -- McDonald's doesn't have an orange; it has a red and a yellow. (In fact, you can easily bring up their logo guide with a google search, and it states which Pantone red and yellow they use.)
I like it; it reminds me of places like San Francisco where bright colors are much more normal and apparently aren't seen as mutually exclusive with historical design elements (which are all still present in this building, and if anything, are drawn out by the orange).
Posted by: LBR | October 02, 2008 at 02:11 PM
downtown durham + color + history:
http://dc.lib.unc.edu/u?/nc_post,705
"Pinhook FTW!" - seconded.
Posted by: jessica s | October 06, 2008 at 10:09 AM