A Big Score Thanks to Corporate America
One of the advantages that comes with being located in the same city as billion dollar startups is when these companies host large events, we sometimes get the leftovers.
That’s exactly what happened last week when we received a tip from a friend that a local tech company was holding an event at the Pier 27 Cruise Ship Terminal, located only a few blocks down the street from the Beat Museum.
The tech company had spent a small fortune on the infrastructure that goes into an event like that: tables, chairs, benches, custom counters, custom-designed seating, etc, to be used when employees and attendees took their coffee breaks and had lunch.
And this was only a one-day event! They bought everything new, delivered it on a Wednesday for set up, held their event on Thursday, and then broke the show down Thursday night after the event was over. Rather than simply trashing everything, to their credit the tech company arranged to give away as much as they could to local non-profits. Fortunately for us, our new Counterculture Museum is a nonprofit.
Estelle and I know this cruise terminal well. We often walk our dog there because it is so beautiful and so convenient. That’s why we were well positioned to take advantage of this corporate giveaway.
We arrived very quickly and put our finger on as many items as we thought we could use in the new museum.
We arranged for a moving company to work through the evening and deliver the items to the CCM the next morning. This act of generosity on the part of the decision makers at the tech company probably saved us $20,000 or more. When you’re on a micro-budget like we are, that’s real money.
The day of the delivery the locals were glad to see us moving items into the space at Haight & Ashbury. The fixtures are well built, strong & sturdy, and we’re confident we can dress them up so they will service our needs for years to come.
Next on the Agenda: We’ll be reaching out to various organizations to see if we can score some locking glass exhibition cases as well as bookshelves (preferably in blonde wood to match our new decor – but beggars can’t be choosers).
If you want to support the Counterculture Museum financially, you can do so here.
If you want to donate posters, books, and other ephemera, here’s what we’d love to have.