Rose-Tinted Glasses - Designing a Business during COVID

Exterior of Made in the Shade — The exterior of Made in the Shade, located in the West Broad Street Commons in Bethlehem, PA.

Introduction

Opening this business was fulfilling a dream, decades in the making.

4/4 Architecture was introduced to Wesley West through our previous collaborations with Austin’s Auto. The proprietor of Austin’s Auto, Nelson Tavarez, recently purchased a commercial property at 1825 West Broad Street in Bethlehem. The building, which housed a Coca-Cola bottling plant from 1942 until the early 1980s, is currently undergoing a $2.5 million renovation in preparation to become a state-of-the-art office complex: the West Broad Street Commons.

West’s business, Made in the Shade Film Pros, was the first new tenant in the complex.

Made in the Shade is the Lehigh Valley’s premier window tint experts, specializing in automotive, commercial, and residential window film applications. Many think of window tinting as being meant strictly for privacy. However, there is film designed for purposes such as blocking UV rays, reducing glare, and preventing break-ins. Among West’s clients are vehicle owners and homeowners, as well as commercial and institutional clients, such as Lehigh University. One of West’s jobs involves installing a decorative frosted film on the offices in Lehigh University’s new Health, Science, and Technology building to add an element of privacy.

Designing the Business

West has decades of experience in the industry, having subcontracted for several automotive tinting shops over the last 20 years. Finally, he decided to venture out and build his own shop.

MITS Sales Counter — 4/4 Architecture suggested an updated location for Made in the Shade’s sales counter, which is located in the lobby of the business.

“Before we swung the first hammer, I had a vision for what I wanted to do,” West said. So, he began designing his ideal shop, incorporating elements from prior shops and making them his own. He developed branding, an interior color scheme, and even preliminary space layouts on his own. Eventually, though, he needed an architect to assist with preparing the official plans. That’s where 4/4 Architecture, and Founder Gary Lader, came into the picture.

The workshop of Made in the Shade — Wesley West, the owner of Made in the Shade, prepares to tint a client’s car in his workshop.

“Gary was easy to work with and extremely efficient. He listened, understood my vision, and made insightful architectural suggestions that supported the design concept,” West said.

In addition to drawing up the plans for the space to ensure feasibility and compliance with code, 4/4 Architecture suggested some adjustments to the floor plan to help with the flow of the overall space. For example, 4/4 proposed moving the location of the sales desk to assist with wayfinding. It also clearly delineates the boundary between public areas and private workspace.

MITS Client Consultation — Wesley West, of Made in the Shade, consults with a client while working on their vehicle.

Location, Location, Location

Aside from fulfilling his dream of opening his own shop, one of West’s favorite parts about the building is the location, which happens to be across the street from his childhood home.

“I spent most of my life looking across the street at the Coca-Cola building. Now, as an adult with a family and business, I look out my window and see my former home. It feels like I’ve come full circle, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished,” West said.

Made in the Shade officially opened for business in June of 2021. To learn more, visit their website, www.mitsfilmpros.com. For more on the West Broad Street Commons and its progress, click here.

Paying Client at Sales Counter — A client pays for their tinting services at the Made in the Shade sales counter.

Could you use a design expert to help you build the business of your dreams? Contact us at gary@44architecture.com to schedule a consultation today!