{made in Minnesota products from Hirshfield’s}

When you shop local, you’re supporting local businesses and the people behind them! Hirshfield’s is proud to be a local Minnesota-based, family-owned company, manufacturing paint right here in Minneapolis and selling that paint throughout the state.

But Hirshfield’s sells more than their own Minnesota-made paint. They also sell many other Minnesota-made and USA-made products. Dave Gerber, procurement and distribution manager for Hirshfield’s, spoke with us about Hirshfield’s commitment to purchasing products from other Minnesota and U.S. companies.

How long has Hirshfield’s been manufacturing and selling paint here in Minnesota?
Hirshfield’s has been manufacturing paint in Minneapolis since 1982 and selling paint and painting supplies since 1894.

What products does Hirshfield’s carry that are made right here in Minnesota?
Besides Hirshfield’s line of paint, Hirshfield’s also carries Atrix products which are made in Burnsville, Graco products which are made in Minneapolis and the Handy Paint Pail line which is made in Chanhassen. Hirshfield’s also carries more than 25 other products that are made in the U.S.A.

{friday finds: happy holidays}

Front window of Hirshfield's South Robert

Happy Holidays from everyone at Hirshfield’s!

 

{friday finds: guest post from Pat Verlodt: the color of the future}

I attended the Color Marketing Group Conference earlier this month to participate in their workshops where color directions for the next year or more are discussed and identified. Color Guild has several members who belong to this prestigious group of color professionals that help define where we can look for color to take off in the coming year.

It is no surprise that the talk was centered on the economy and our reaction to it. Global events and influences are commonplace in the group as our members come from all over the world and sharing palettes from those countries made for some interesting observations. For example, when palettes from Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America were consolidated it was determined that purple was represented more than any other color family.

Majestic Plum 1214

Color Is Majestic Plum 1214 represents the forecasted purple, not a surprise when we consider looking at things differently. Designers spend a great deal of time putting a new face on current products, one way to do that is to color it in an unexpected hue. Purple had a reputation for being a feminine color but has mainstreamed to the masculine market in recent years.

Fresh Take 1278 and Paternoster 546

Blue, never absent from the palette, is destined to be a red cast blue such as Color Is Fresh Take, 1278. Neutral Grays such as Color Is Paternoster 546 is a perfect backdrop for this bright and lively blue. Gray was the topic of discussion as a replacement for the common beige, not overtaking it, but giving neutrals a fresh new look.

April Love 1061 and Bad Hair Day 0564

Oranges are down to earth, homage to our appreciation of our planet. Color Is April Love 1061 is a rich deep terra cotta and pairs well with the forecasted Bad Hair Day, 564. This deep green infused neutral is a natural complement to the brighter pops of color.

Best of the Bunch 1068, Heat of the Summer 1025 and Origin 791

Enter the 70’s, a scary thought when most of us remember the 70’s. Colors that populated that period of time are returning in newer and fresher versions. The bright orange Color Is Best of the Bunch, 1068, A yellow cast orange, Color Is Heat of Summer 1025 and a new take on avocado Color Is Origin 791 makes this pattern hop into the 21^st century.

Perennial Garden 759 and Petals Unfolding 1092

Color Is Perennial Garden 759 brings the beauty of our gardens into our homes to give us a Mother Nature boost. A soft pink, Color Is Petals Unfolding 1092 adds to this garden bonanza as a soft feminine pink.

Delicious 438 and Dodge Pole 157

Sun rooms are back in style, lots of light and nature’s neutral, green, create a peaceful retreat. Color is Delicious 438 and all the other colors on that stripecard are perfect backgrounds for ecology minded haven. Wood tones complement this look in Color Is Dodge Pole 157, a warm woodsy brown.

The economy has affected all areas of our home, mostly our pocketbooks. With this in mind consumers are taking the economic route of repainting rather than redoing. Take advantage of this trend and show your customers ways to repaint while making a huge change in their environment.

ABOUT PAT VERLODT: Pat has been involved in the world of color for over 40 years. As an advisor to dozens of building products companies – including paint systems, GAF roofing, Alcoa siding and more – Pat shares her expertise in color design, forecasting and trend analysis. Pat has the unique ability to explain color technology to the novice and to combine the scientific with the aesthetic. Pat is a past president, lifetime member and senior chairholder of the Color Marketing Group. Ms. Verlodt makes presentations at trade shows, corporate sales meetings, conventions, seminars, web conferences, and on television and radio. Whether speaking about color trends and where they come from, she gears her talks to the product mix and the audience and has presented all over North America, Europe, China, Australia, South America and South Africa. She has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Better Homes and Gardens and in Harold Linton’s, Color Forecasting, a book about the methods of various color forecasters.

{friday finds: bachman’s holiday ideas house 2011}

Stairwell

“The Elegance of Winter” is the theme for Bachman’s Holiday Ideas House 2011.

  Expect to see creamy whites, cool blues, celadon, soft greens and shimmering metallic accents mixed in with botanical elements and natural textures. Vintage architectural pieces, such as repurposed porch posts and railings, will add historic charm throughout the house. Needless to say, it’s definitely not your traditional red and green Christmas!

{nominate your favorite hirshfield’s employee!}

Have a favorite Hirshfield’s employee? Someone who is always willing to help? Someone who goes the extra mile? Someone who knows their stuff when it comes to paint and home improvement projects?

We want YOU to tell us who deserves some recognition!

Nominate your favorite Hirshfield’s employee over on our Facebook page and you will be entered to win a $100 Hirshfield’s gift card! Plus, the employee with the most nominations will also win a prize.

Simply join us over on Facebook, click on “Enter Now” and tell us who you want to nominate. The contest runs through November 30, so make sure your voice is heard and nominate your favorite Hirshfield’s employee today!

{bachman’s fall ideas house}

Bachman’s Fall Ideas House “A Transition of Seasons & Styles” September 15, 2011 – October 9, 2011

Guess what?  If your name is drawn, the contents of the sunroom (above) can be yours! No purchase necessary, just enter your name in the drawing at Bachman’s on Lyndale. And Hirshfield’s is giving away four gallons of the wall color 0634 Day Spa.

Decorative doors from the Wisconsin State Capital used in the living room vignette on the right. The coffee table is made from windows and salvaged wood filled with vintage print blocks.

Teaching your little genius numbers, words, and the alphabet would be easy peasy in this pre-schoolers bedroom.

Gorgeous antique armoire painted glossy white with a customized interior. The detailing on the front of the armoire adds to its charm.

Fall tablescape in the dining room.

This room is called the “casual office & family room.” The paint used in this room can’t decide if it wants to be a gray, green or beige, which makes it a perfect bridging color. The saying on the pillow has me thinking:

“When was the last time you did anything for the first time?”

There is so much more to see inside and outside at the Fall Ideas House. It’s always fun to see what, and how, the staff repurposed all the pieces (for sale) throughout the house. I guess that’s why they call it the “Ideas House.”

Bachman’s suggests calling in advance for your ticket and remember they are not open on Mondays and  the last tour slot is at 5:00. I have not run into crowds on my visits as I try and go at the end of the day. If you’ve never been through the house, remember the saying on the pillow, ”When was the last time you did anything for the first time?”

Number one question asked of the “keepers of the castle” at the Bachman’s ideas house?

What color is the paint…?

The paint is brought to you by Hirshfield’s and Benjamin Moore.

Front Porch
Trim 0012 Bunny Cake
Floor 0211 Light Lichen
Entry & Stairwell 0278 Barberry Sand
Living Room 0884 Gold Tweed
Sunroom 0634 Day Spa
DiningRoom 0401 Bamboo Forest
Kitchen 0884 Gold Tweed
Trim and cabinets OC-68 Distant Gray
Lower Level Bathroom 0884 Gold Tweed
Boy’s Bedroom 0309 Palmetto Bluffs
Girl’s Room 0023 Shell Tint (white) 0536 Subway (black)
Master Bedroom 0317 Green Gold
Upper Level Bathroom  0317 Green Gold
Casual Office &  Family Room 0574 Shark Fin

{behind the scenes at Hirshfield’s Paint Manufacturing: closed loop system}

At Hirshfield’s Paint Manufacturing, we are committed to our community and the environment. Which is why we work to reduce waste by using what is called a “closed loop system.”

Through the closed loop system, we gather and collect all of the waste water that was used in that day’s production. That water is then treated and reused the next day in another formulation. So essentially, we are reusing our water to cut down on waste.

{friday finds: paint to china and a photo exhibit of china}

Dateline: July 29, 2011, Camden

Hirshfield’s Paint Manufacturing

This week, more than a full shipping container of Hirshfield’s Platinum Exterior Flat 5790 was produced, filled and packed for shipping overseas to China.  Development of business relationships outside Hirshfield’s traditional markets is a growing side of HPM.

HPM’s Paul, Mark, Charlie and Nick (on top of paint) take a break before securing the paint for the ground trip to the west coast ports where the container will be loaded on a seabound freighter.

The paint order beginning its journey to a commercial project in China.

Hats off the Jason and the entire crew at HPM.

If you haven’t seen the story on Minnesota Companies in the Asian markets, click here.

Here’s a three-minute tour of the Hirshfield’s Paint Factory.

Since we’re talking China here’s an exhibit opening next week at the Nash which piqued my interest.

A special collection of photographs from Chinese artists will be on view at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery on the University of Minnesota’s West Bank campus beginning August 2, 2011.  Visit www.nash.umn.edu for more information.

{behind the scenes at Hirshfield’s Paint Manufacturing: the lab}

Jason, operations director at Hirshfield’s Paint Manufacturing in Minneapolis, gives you a behind the scenes tour of the lab in this video.

A number of functions take place in the laboratory at Hirshfield’s Paint Manufacturing, including quality assurance, quality control and research and development. What is especially advantageous about the lab is that Hirshfield’s can work with customers to customize specific paint products and coatings.

{hirshfield’s paint manufacturing tour}

Did you know that gallon of Hirshfield’s paint you just purchased was manufactured right here in Minneapolis? Hirshfield’s employees live where they work and serve their communities with high quality products that are innovative, environmentally friendly and made right here in Minnesota.