On Painting Some Ugly White Bookcases

As you may know, when we transitioned from Harry W. Schwartz to Boswell Book Company, we got rid of our tall center-of-the-store cases. They were too heavy to move out of the way for events, and they blocked some key store sitelines. It was great that we were able to negotiate for some lower bookcases that previously graced Schwartz Bookshops in Shorewood and Bay View (Thank you again, Carol and Rebecca.)

We also came into possession of three white pressboard cases. They also have wheels, which is a positive. But their white color is glaring, and it's always been our game plan to paint them before they came out on the floor again.

Amie and I bought some spray paint on sale at Downer Hardware, a shade of green that is not too dissimilar from our greenish-gray doors (which match the darker green of the pipes and the lighter greenish-cream of our walls). Bookseller Jocelyn agreed to take on the challenge.

Here's what we learned. Those cases eat paint; we have used many, many cans, and Jocelyn has not even completed the first case. Considering the cases are flat surface, we should have used traditional paint. It turns out the other cases may be in complimentary colors instead of matching.

Another lesson for the future.