Going green or suffering gangrene?

I can understand in today’s economy why a business would want to draw attention to itself. They want a location that isn’t easily overlooked. Well, Junior Solis, owner of Oishii Sushi, can say with a certainty, “mission accomplished.”

They say in Hollywood there’s no such thing as bad publicity; that may not be true in Sandpoint. This building makeover reminds me of a botched face job by a plastic surgeon — kind of homely going in, but ugly coming out.

From the reaction of many locals recently when this train wreck his First Avenue, I would say Junior isn’t the most popular guy in town. Goodwill is not his tall crop. His color coordinator may have swung at a bad pitch for strike three.

If Junior was hoping for a “welcome to your new place” from his neighbors, it may be a while coming.

This shade of green should be called “Woodstock 69,” a psychedelic adventure.” A high you can’t possibly forget, but you won’t jump off any tall buildings.

I’ve never seen such a reaction to a new downtown business like this one. Even little ol’ me received phone calls of dismay from locals. Kathleen Hyde at the Downtown Sandpoint Business Association had to fend off inquiries as if the Aryan Nation had opened up a compound in the heart of Sandpoint.

In a brief conversation with Junior, he is excited about his new venture, his menu will be formidable and price cut about 25 percent from his previous location.

BILL LITSINGER

Sagle