As much fun as Megan Arell had selling flowers Saturday, she enjoyed just as much detailing how her flowers were presented.
Arell, who runs Hometown Floral and Gifts, was set up for Humboldt’s Third Saturday on the Square craft fair, with a unique booth.
Her flowers were situated on the bed of a recently restored 1947 International KB-1 pickup, courtesy of Beth Barlow and several workers at B&W Trailer Hitches.
Stormy weather cut short Arell’s sales, “but it was still mission accomplished in that we were able to get good pictures,” Barlow said. “We’re hoping to attract attention to describe what it is.”
“What it is” is a potential “pop-up” booth presentation for other public events or sales, Barlow said.
The pickup has been a part of the Works family for generations, purchased years ago from the Department of Agriculture, before it parked sometime in the 1970s.
“They stopped using it and parked it in a shed across from my parents’ house,” Barlow explained.
There, for the next 45 years or so, the old truck was fully submerged in floodwater twice, and served as a home for a family of raccoons at one point.
Fast forward to 2015, when Barlow decided the truck needed a better fate.
“I thought it would be fun if we could get it fixed up,” Barlow recalled. “I asked my parents if I could do that, and they agreed.”
The project included help of several B&W employees. Barlow is B&W’s marketing manager.
One worker rebuilt the transmission; others handled the body work. A new motor also was part of the process.
It took more than five years before work was finished.
Now, Barlow is eager to see the vehicle put to good use.
She hopes to encourage other young, imaginative entrepreneurs to use the pickup as a potential popup sales site.
“Maybe a business incubator for people with an idea for a shop, but who don’t want to go the expense of having a full overhead before opening,” she said.
