Published by Stu News Laguna
Written by Dianne Russell
Photos by Mary Hurlbut
With so many storefronts currently shuttered, it’s encouraging to see custom painted “Open for Service” signs on several places of business – courtesy of Troy Lee, who is helping to draw attention to the establishments that remain open.
What began as a hobby of a motocross racing teenager, painting helmets in Lee’s parents’ garage for his friends, has grown to become recognized as the premier custom helmet paint shop in the world. Troy Lee Designs supplies motocross and mountain bike gear to the world’s fastest racers.
Besides designing and making an “Open for Service” sign for his own shop, Lee also made signs for Laguna Cyclery, Laguna Surf and Sport, and Dizz’s As Is. (He also made some for a few businesses outside of Laguna.) He’s now in the process of finishing one for Anastasia Café and one for Laguna Motor Werks, which will be delivered tomorrow.
Troy Lee Designs is located at 380 Glenneyre St.
For more information, go to www.troyleedesigns.com or call (949) 715-8142.
Word gets around
Most of the signs have been a result of someone seeing the sign at his shop or via word of mouth. Troy frequently gets coffee at Anastasia, and they asked him if he would make one for them.
Of the stay at home order, Troy says, “I get to hang out in my garage and paint. Hopefully, we’ll still be open in a few weeks and not go into full lockdown. We will be unless we get proactive like Germany. Some countries are testing more. We’re not testing enough. We need to all wear masks, wash our hands, and practice distancing.”
During our phone conversation, he tells me he’s driving back from Los Angeles after picking up 100 masks for his employees. “We have to keep a little business going. We’re shipping out merchandise to people’s houses,” he says.
Laguna Cyclery
Even with the current stay at home restrictions, people are allowed to ride bicycles. When Governor Gavin Newsom declared bike shops “essential,” Patrick Fetzer, owner of Laguna Cyclery, says, “I breathed a sigh of relief when I was allowed to stay open.” And as of last Saturday, he has the sign to prove it.
Patrick Fetzer, owner of Laguna Cyclery
Fetzer has known Lee for 15 years. “Troy called me out of the blue and said he had made a sign for his store and that he had some wood left, did I want a sign? He said someone has asked him if we were still open – they had driven by, and mentioned that we didn’t look open.”
Now there’s no question about it. “We have customers who are into fitness, and cyclists who are regulars, and also those who use their bikes for transportation. We’ve also had the Laguna Beach Police Department’s Beach Patrol bring their bikes in. We’re glad to help,” says Fetzer. “It was great to see that the bike industry could still be open and that Troy saw beyond his own needs to help others as well.
“People have been very courteous and stand at the door asking if they can come in. Of course, we observe the distancing restrictions. Our hours are the same. We’re doing both service and sales. Strangely, the suppliers report that sales are up across the country and that they are well-stocked. So we’re able to help customers whether it’s a bike they’ve had in the garage since summer and need servicing, or if someone wants a new one, we can accommodate them as well.”
Laguna Cyclery is located at 240 Thalia St.
For more information, go to www.lagunabeachcyclery.com or call (949) 494-1522.
Dizz’s As Is
The current situation presents challenges for the community and businesses, especially restaurants. Dizz’s As Is is open for curbside and take-out food orders. They say, “We realize people have to eat, and so we want to offer this service to those in need. For curbside, customers can order by phone, then drive up, and food can be brought out to the car. For take-out, customers can order by phone and come into the restaurant to pick up.
Dominic Pitz (on left): Troy made additional signs for Dizz’s As Is
Not only is Lee supporting local businesses by providing signs, he also takes advantage of the pickup service at Dizz’s. “We’re going to do that tonight,” he says.
Dizz’s As Is is located at 2797 S Coast Hwy. To order online, go to www.dizzsasis.com or call (949) 494-5250.
Laguna Surf and Sport
Since 1982, Laguna Surf & Sport has been committed to bringing customers the best products the surf industry has to offer: a variety of surfing/skating gear, ranging from wetsuits and accessories to footwear and eye protection.
Laguna Surf and Sport offers the same guarantees as always
As stated on their website, “We use what we sell and we only use the best.” They are facing the challenge of beach closures as well as the current stay at home restrictions, however, they are now featuring curbside pick-up, delivery, and shipping.
Laguna Surf and Sport is located at 1088 S Coast Hwy.
For more information, go to www.surfandsport.com or call (949) 497-7000.
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