For everyone at G&R Paint Company, I would like to thank Harry Adler (aka the C2 Guru) for taking the time to come out from Rhode Island to work with us last week. Having Harry around for a few days reminded me of all the great reasons why I became a C2 Partner back in 2006. For those of you who are not familiar with the story of this unique brand, I will give you a quick version.

In 1998 a small group of independent paint dealers from the U.S. and Canada, decided to do the unthinkable, start their own paint brand. Why would anybody wake up in the morning with such a hairbrained idea? Well if you saw the ground around you quickly shrinking you would run for higher ground as well. What started back in the late nineties and continues on today is the consolidation of the paint industry. Fewer and fewer large companies make more of the paint that you are buying whether you realize this or not. In fact they would rather that you didn’t realize it. Many of the old brand names in our industry that consumers and painters have grown to love, have either been bought up by large multi-brand corporations, or have simply been eliminated altogether.

It was in this climate that these brave individuals decided to go against the trend. The Coatings Alliance was formed in 1999 and this year celebrates its tenth year in business! The Coatings Alliance is the co-op that manufactures C2 Paints that are sold only in select independent retailers across North America. Almost all C2 retailers are stock holders in the co-op which gives us a unique opportunity to influence the brand we sell. Being a color fanatic and general paint snob, this was too good to be true for someone like me. The friendships and alliances that I have fostered in my brief time in C2 have given me insight and perspective I would have found difficult to obtain otherwise.

C2 Paint, like G&R Paint Company is proud to carry on the tradition of the TRULY independent paint dealer. What this means for you is more choice, more great quality, and more “perfect colors”. Happy tenth anniversary C2, and thank you Harry Adler one of the founding members of The Coatings Alliance.

G&R Paint Company will have the honor of hosting Harry Adler, one of the founding members of The Coatings Alliance (makers of C2 Paint), this Thursday and Friday, March 12th and 13th. Harry will hold staff meetings, contractor meet and greets and do whatever else we deem necessary. Harry along with 4 or 5 other brave souls struck out 10 years ago to do the seemingly impossible, create a truly independent paint brand owned and sold only by independent paint dealers across North America. Ten years later The Coatings Alliance is 50 partners stong and G&R Paint Company is proud to be one of them.

When I realized there was an opportunity to join a group of such talented individuals, and to actually have some control over the direction of a national brand, it was a no brainer for me to link up with this group and to offer my Philip’s Perfect Color palette in this superior product offering.

In honor of Harry’s visit we will be offering a 25% off all C2 products for the two days that he is in store. Simply come in and meet Harry for a coupon, or mention this blog posting for the same savings nation wide. We do ship Phiip’s Perfect Colors anywhere that FedEx delivers.

Join me in wishing Harry a great stay in the San Francisco Bay Area.