Seniors transform summer project into curb-painting business

Most students learn the principles of supply and demand in class, but two seniors Stephen McInnis and Atticus Wong have taken their education outside of the classroom by starting a business selling do-it-yourself address number painting kits for curbs. Although they are just starting up, McInnis and Wong have already designed a kit and found a manufacturer.

Each kit will contain number templates for addresses, paint cans and painting instructions and will cost $14.95. They hope it will be ready for purchase by this summer.

“Currently we’re working on the box design. We’re thinking about trying to get on the Home Shopping Network, and we’re going to talk to all the home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes,” said McInnis.

McInnis and Wong got the idea to create a kit when McInnis’s father asked them to repaint the curb last summer. They had to build their own templates because they couldn’t find anything in stores.

“We looked around and realized that almost everyone else had the same faded curb, so why not make a kit?” said McInnis. “A lot of neighborhoods in and outside of Saratoga probably have the same problem,” said McInnis.

Although there are services that paint curbs, there were no do-it-yourself kits in stores. This inspired McInnis and Wong to create one.

“The people who come around to paint don’t come around enough to provide the service year-round and for every neighborhood,” said McInnis. “We researched it and went to a several different Home Depots to see if they sell a kit, but they didn’t.”

In order to mass-produce the kits, they contacted a manufacturer and met with him to discuss the details.

“My dad knew someone who would be able to manufacturer the boxes,” said McInnis. “Then our box manufacturer talked to the paint manufacturer and figured out the size of the paint cans and the rest of the kit.”

McInnis and Wong have also created a program called Curbs for Kids in which a portion of each sale would go to a children’s charity.

“I think it’ll provide a lot of opportunities for kids who aren’t as fortunate as us living in Saratoga,” said Wong.

Both McInnis and Wong will be graduating this year, but they hope to continue the process in college. Although the project requires a lot of time and commitment, the boys don’t mind the work because they enjoy it.

“It’s fun and we enjoy business,” said McInnis. “Atticus and I are both considering majoring in business so this would a good way to gain experience.”

For more information about this product, go to www.123curbs.com.