Painting to Connect Oakland’s History and Its Future
Oakland is a fantastic place to live and work, and we are thankful to be a part of this thriving community! A unique way we have been able to contribute to the neighborhood is by painting the historic Original Kasper’s Hot Dogs, as part of a street art exhibit in Oakland.
A Bit of Background
Kasper Koojoolian began his hot dog business in the late 1920’s, moving to its current location in 1943. The hot dog joint enjoyed many decades of popularity, becoming a local icon and serving presidential candidates, headline bands, A-list actors, and regular folks from around town. Under its third generation of leadership, the restaurant closed for repairs in 2003, and its reopening date is uncertain.
To see some photos of what Kasper's Hot Dogs looked like back in the 1920's, head over to their Wiki page!
After shutting its doors, Kasper’s Hot Dogs began to suffer frequent vandalism, and the owner would have to paint over it himself. And that, as they say, is where the story gets interesting!
A New Movement
A team of Oakland street artists has been organizing a series of eye-catching, attractive murals on local buildings, and they teamed up with Harry, the current owner of Kasper’s, to make his historic business a part of their project. The street artists are known by the monikers Tion, Kufue, Pase, Pengo, Aeros, King 157, Gigs, Bukue One, and Yulia Kalk.
Street art tours are common in this Oakland neighborhood, and now, Kasper’s will be a featured stop!
How MB Jessee got involved
Without lift equipment, the team of artists was limited to painting the areas of a building they could reach. That is, until Matt Jessee, owner of MB Jessee, offered to do a priming coat to help prepare the building for its new art!
Our first contribution was here on the Original Kasper’s Hot Dogs building. The artists requested “Prince Purple” as the background color for their upcoming murals, and MB Jessee was happy to oblige!
Painting with Purpose
At MB Jessee, our goal is to bring beauty to the lives of our clients, whether that be on residential homes, local businesses, major stadiums, or works of art! We provide interior and exterior painting, cabinet refinishing, pressure washing, decorative finishes, and much more. Based in Oakland, California, MB Jessee provides residential and commercial painting to the whole San Francisco Bay region.
