How to Fill An Empty Space, Then Tidy It Up in 24 Hours
By Alan Gray, NewsBlaze
Mike goes out for more paint
For a short time, the building that housed the Fire and Rain Gallery, 705 Sutter Street in Historic Folsom, was empty. It wasn't long before Stage Nine, further along the street decided that would be a very usable space for the Disney and Theater shop.
I walked past the space 10 to 12 times per week for the past ten years and it was sad to see it sitting empty. I wondered how long it would stay that way. Then one afternoon, I walked past and there was a play rehearsal going on inside. Over the next few days, there was a lot of activity, with trucks arriving and "stuff" being taken inside.
Not just stuff, some really amazing treasure. My wife has a friend in Australia, who is seven feet tall. One day, her two seven-foot sisters got out of a truck and entered the old gallery building. Right behind them were Darth Vader and one of the pirates of the Carribbean.
There were also chairs, tables, theater seats from times long past, display cabinets, autographed photos, Disney paintings, artwork, stage props and more. There was so much treasure that there was no space to walk through it to see what was there. The only clear area was right down the middle. Expecting it would eventually be clear, I decided it was time to take photos to show the "before" view.
The day after I saw the front area so full that you couldn't walk through it, they were to host the Encinitas Main Street Association, who were in Folsom for their annual retreat. I thought to myself "There's no way they'll get this cleaned up in time." But they did. And the Encinitas group had a really great time.
The keys to organizing a big space are to be well organized and have a great team. What Mike and Connie, along with their Stage Nine Production crew have done is truly inspiring. We're very lucky to have them in Folsom. If you haven't seen these two seven-foot girls, or want to see Darth Vader or a pirate skeleton up close now is a good time.
