A truck? Really?
The Truck
January 2023. Our family bought a former Franz Bread delivery truck and began the long process of converting it into a little boutique. (Edited: the real story is that one evening I asked Ben if he’d drive into Bend with me, because I was buying a truck. He is a saint, so not only did he humor me and play along, but he also drove it home for me. In a snowstorm.)
The roll-up back door was replaced with a sliding glass entry. Then it was painted a lovely primer gray.
Our neighbors were a little skeptical. To be honest, so were we.
The Hands on Deck
I’ve painted many walls over the years, and I know what type of oil the Subaru needs, but that’s about the extent of my renovation or automotive experience. Each step and each decision has required a ridiculous amount of YouTube, calls to friends, and posts in related FB groups.
I also took full advantage of those few sunny afternoons in February that got above 40 degrees and recruited some friends.
Special thanks to Ben and Kate, Kendra, Colby, Bayla, Charley, Caroline, Opal, Bruce and Jessie, Doug and Jana.
The Boxes. And More Boxes.
Our house seems to be on the UPS regular route now. It started with a few boxes of materials (e.g. ceiling tiles, retail fixtures, curtains for the changing room, etc)…and then the inventory started to arrive! This picture shows just the first of maybe three shipments! It has filled up our living room!
Our guest bedroom has become the staging area, as we hang, sort, and tag all the incoming items…which are sooo cute.
The Weather
February 2023. All the snow this year has been great — however, cold temperatures, precipitation, and frozen fingers have significantly slooowwed every step of the process.
The first challenge was striping everything down to the metal studs and removing the after-market metal cabinet braces. Not so easy when it’s snowing outside. I found a little propane heater at Ace, which worked well, but I literally prayed every day that it wouldn’t cause an explosion.
Then, the adhesive refused to stick to the insulation. Even using special low-temperature materials, it took me three long, aggravating attempts. Each morning, I’d return to the truck and find a ceiling’s worth of insulation panels (and my wasted time) scattered on the floor.
Apparently latex paint and my enthusiasm both freeze at 32-degrees. Check out the very sad video of me trying to salvage the primer and my day.
I’m trying to stir and paint in below-freezing temperatures. I gave up after these 23 seconds.
The Dress Rehearsal
We held a special soft open event in Sisters and it went really well!
Although, earlier that morning I wasn’t feeling particularly hopeful. It had rained every day for the week prior, so I was still finishing the logo mere hours before the big reveal.
Then, moments before we were going to head out, I accidentally covered my giant schnauzer—and subsequently my kitchen—in pink paint. It was equal parts horrifying and hilarious. I don’t have pictures, but whatever you are envisioning in your mind, it is likely fairly accurate.
Although the truck is still a work in progress, we’re ready to roll! I’m currently scheduling our “tour” dates and locations.
Comp & Recital Season
We are still figuring out the scheduling logistics, which are much more complicated than we anticipated. Between Jenica’s evening schedule as a Studio Manager, and Kate’s travel for two competitive dance teams, our nights and weekends are booked solid in May and June. But, we’ll be able to start bringing the truck around again when summer sessions begins!
The Heat of Summer
You know that delivery trucks don’t have AC, right? I joined several FB groups about Box Truck Conversions, RV Boondocking, Off-Grid Living, etc. to explore options for adding AC, but the bottom line is that it’s simply too cost-prohibitive right now. In the meantime, I did figure out a hack for using an RV ventilation fan to at least generate some air flow! It’s been quite difficult to find extra long and shaded parking spaces in Central Oregon. :/
The Rumors are True
Thanks to all of your tremendous support and enthusiasm, we quickly outgrew the truck even before we were able to finalize all of the finishing touches. It was an amazing summer, but we quickly realized that we need something bigger. And more permanent. Our first location will be opening soon (early November 2023?) at 200 NE Greenwood Avenue in Bend. Stay tuned!!
Here’s Kate, setting up for the day.
