Mom & Pop Art Shop owner Kelly Nicolaisen smiles while talking and frequently ends sentences with a big laugh.
Behind the counter of the eclectic art, jewelry and collectibles store she and husband Jacinto Castillo have owned in Point Richmond for a decade she rings up a customer as Miles Davis’ “So What” plays on the stereo.
Tall with a freshly-shaved mohawk, large hoop earrings and wearing what looks like a brown bomber jacket, Nicolaisen calls out customers by name as they walk in. She seems as happy as a shop owner can be, considering a rent hike of 44% is forcing her to close the town’s iconic store on West Richmond Avenue on April 1 after 10 years in business.
“People are crying, people are sad, people are mad, people want to rebel,” said Nicolaisen, a mother of two. “It’s the one thing where people can come — any kind of person, anyone can come.
“Kids love it here,” she said. “I mean the music, the art, the funky little treasures you can find here. And like, I cater to kids, I cater to old people, I cater to the artists and young people.”
Though it doesn’t take up much space, the store is a sensory feast.
One needs to move slowly and look carefully to get a true grasp of everything inside.
A large alligator head pokes out from atop the wall behind the front counter, opposite a big red dragon in another corner. An octopus apparently wedged itself into the top of a wall near the register. Works by local artists, Nicolaisen included, are everywhere.
A World War I-era airplane hangs from the ceiling over jewelry displays and many other goodies, from vintage matchbooks, plants, stickers, toys, games, books, Pokemon and Garbage Pail Kids cards, a Prince stickerbook, puzzlebooks, teacups, and jars of body butter, to name a few.
The walls are decorated with skateboards, a painted saw, comics, custom Willie Mays clocks from a local artist and much more. In an adjacent room, concert posters and other prints sit in boxes waiting to be flipped through. Larger pieces of art hang on the walls, painted pillows sit on a shelf, and there are racks of an amazing variety of greeting cards.
A sign outside reads “Unique gifts” — a serious understatement.
Nicolaisen offers a long list of services. She does print work, photography, lamination and mounting, retouching, art delivery and installation, menu designing, consignment sales for artists and jewelers, and hosts shows for other artists.
“I’ve had a lot of first-time shows here for different artists and they love the experience,” Nicolaisen said.
Alyssa Villanueva is an artist and a dance, theater and martial arts teacher who works part time at the store. She said Nicolaisen is very generous and the store will be missed.
“She has amazing taste. She fills this place with things that someone will want. It might take a minute for the right person to walk in and find it, but nothing here is tacky,” Villanueva said. “Even if it looks tacky in style, it usually has a rich history. And therefore that’s its value, even if its style is out of date.
“Nothing lasts forever, but yeah, that’s sad,” Villanueva said. “I know Kelly’s going to still keep making art, and I have the privilege of staying in touch with her as an artist.”
Kim Paternoster, a Point Richmond resident and regular customer, said she was shocked to hear the store is closing. Nicolaisen helped change the neighborhood’s culture when she and her husband moved there from San Francisco, like a number of other transplants to the area.
“We don’t really have stores like this down in Point Richmond,” Paternoster said. “They brought the hipsters, they brought the art and excitement. They got involved with the Point Richmond music that we do in the summer and they’re part of the community.
“Everyone knows them; she just told me. So yeah, I’m devastated. This is really bad.”
Daniel Butt, president of the Point Richmond Business Association, said the store’s closing underscores the ongoing challenges facing small businesses.
“This beloved local business — run so warmly by Kelly and Jacinto — has been a true beating heart of the Point Richmond art scene, bringing creativity, unique local art, and a welcoming spirit to residents and visitors alike,” Butt said.
He said the business association is particularly concerned about the loss of foot traffic that the closure will trigger, “which continues to strain our local economy and cultural vitality.”
“We urge everyone in Point Richmond and beyond to support our remaining independent shops, galleries, and artists now more than ever,” Butt said.
Nicolaisen, who moved to El Sobrante after five years in Point Richmond, said the property owner might use the space for storage.
As for herself, she wants to start an event business with her husband, who is a videographer and a DJ, and get back to working as a photographer, or as close as she can get while juggling all her interests.
Eventually she’d like to have an event space with a small storefront, though she doesn’t know where. Meanwhile, she’ll still sell art and other funky treasures on eBay and Etsy (you can connect through the store’s website).
“I don’t want to jump right into retail again,” Nicolaisen said. “I owe myself a break. But the thing about this place is that I get so many different kinds of jobs through here. Ten weddings in the last year I photographed because the people came in and I’m like ‘Oh, you’re getting married? Oh, do you have a photographer?’ ”
Nicolaisen said they’re throwing a party with “bubbly and chocolates” from 4 to 7 p.m. Feb. 14, “but you can come all day,” she said. That’s when the sales will start.
The store will have an estate sale March 20 to 22, but meanwhile it remains open as usual from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, at 24 W. Richmond Ave.
