Many of you probably realise that we are an old company.

We’ve occupied our shop in Buckhurst Hill for the past 52 years since 1969.

And while we’re really proud of our heritage we don’t just stand still and wait for the world to go round without us.

Mr Johnson was a paint rep for Manders paints before he started the business.

Manders were the Zinsser of their day, problem solving and innovative paints were their bread and butter.

He instilled this ethos into me when I joined the firm in 1987.

I’ve never stopped looking out for new and better ideas to bring to my customers.

I’ve seen the demise of lead paint and the rise of acrylics.

The death of VOC unfriendly paints and the move to replenishable cleaner solvents.

My son, Ryan, discovered Benjamin Moore paints while he was on holiday in America.

He was the first person I ever heard say the name Tikkurila.

And he brought Graphenstone, the Greenest White paint in the world to our business!

I like to think that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

When I moved into our new premises at Harlow, my daughter created the mural you can see here for me from old paint adverts.

Worryingly, I can still remember a lot of them when they were new!

And my old paint can collection which I have in my office has the first paint I ever used in it, (Aquaseal 77) and the first paint I ever tested, (Dulux Weathershield Gloss Moorland)

Our new showroom at Harlow has my collection of old paint adverts and posters on display.

It’s fair to say, I love a bit of paint history.

However, we’ll always look forwards.

Paint spray technology, dustless sanding, and new site lighting are among the things we’ve brought to you over the past few years and the future will certainly be steered by those…

But what about paint drones, self cleaning paints and whatever sci-fi decorating tech is just around the corner?

Well, we’ll keep a keen eye peeled and keep you informed!

Be well!

Pat.

By Pat Wallace

Not long after we opened our new shop in Harlow, Ryan and I attended a match at Harlow Town FC. The stadium is only a stones throw from our new shop, we’re at one end of the appropriately named Stadium Way, they are at the other.The atmosphere was fantastic and we met the people who run the club, all of them passionate, lovely people.So impressed were we that we asked if we could be involved in some small way, the club offered us the opportunity to have 3 signboard hoardings around the pitch.We spoke with two of our lovely exclusive partners, Benjamin Moore and Tikkurila who loved the idea of supporting a small football club and next thing you know we were an official sponsor!Within a week we were assisting with the repainting of the changing room floors and the decoration of the new gym and personal training facility in the ground.Ryan and I have attended several matches, unfortunately interrupted by the Covid 19 football closedown, but Harlow Town are back and so are we!We’d love to see any of you at a match, I’m sure you’d all enjoy it!Please let us know if you’d like a ticket and I’m sure we could help out.You can even park in our shop car park, there’s plenty of space!
So, come on The Hawks!