Painting the Northstate for 84 years Knight's Paint looks back on a legacy few others in the industry can claim

customer service says it all

Besides being the second-generation owner of a premiere painting supply store, Tres Dix emphasizes customer service and a knowledgeable staff who meet the needs of the do-it-yourselfer or the many contractors who frequent Knight’s Paint stores. “We get comments all the time about how easy it is to shop at Knight’s Paint,” said Dix. “We make sure we serve the customers no matter who they are,” he added. “Often, it seems like when you go to a big box store, you need to kind of brace yourself for the service you get.”

Dix has made sure the great service and a quality product line has continued at Knight’s Paint since his dad bought the business in 1977, and Tres purchased the company in 1991. “We pride ourselves on the longevity of the business,” he said. “Knight’s Paint has been sound since 1938, and it is one of few paint stores in existence that long.” Back in the 1930’s, the store sold paint, wallpaper, and even Mercury outboard motors. It was a typical small-town business in the small town of Grass Valley. It is the oldest Benjamin Moore Paint retailer on the West Coast.

Knight’s Paint goes far beyond simply selling house paint—they also sell automotive paint, aircraft, and boat paint. Knight’s employees are well-versed in the technical side of these more difficult paint applications. You'll find an expert at each location who can help you find the right paint, the correct chemical application, and match your colors to a degree most paint stores can’t achieve.

If you need the correct match for house paint colors, Knight’s doesn’t just leave it up to a machine. Their employees will help find the best match from over 4,000 Benjamin Moore colors and will ultimately eye match to get it right. Besides Benjamin Moore, Knight’s sells top-quality products for whatever job you may have. They carry automotive brands such as Cromax, SpiesHecker, and Standox. They encourage their body shop customers—a huge part of their automotive sales—to use more environmentally sound products, even where they’re not required. Knight’s also sells iconic paints such as Imron and Centari as well as 21st century coatings such as HiTec and Standoblue. They offer value brands such as Nason and Meralux and are an Axalta Coatings Champion Distributor.

Additionally, Knight’s Paint is a Northern California leader in the sales of commercial wood finishes. Whether you are a cabinet shop, a furniture refinisher, or a refinishing contractor, they have the clear or opaque products to get the job done: Lenmar, Chem-Craft, Gemini, Axalta Wood Coatings, and Benjamin Moore. No matter your job, they have the expertise to get your process down to perfection.

If there’s one aspect of Knight’s Paint that Tres Dix takes pride in, it’s the expertise of his employees. They have dozens of staff members who have worked at Knight’s Paint for 20-to-30 years, and they even have multiple generations at each store. “We have many father-son employees working for us,” said Dix. “We also have zero turnover because we have created a true family atmosphere in our company.” Knight's paint sponsors company basketball and softball teams and has plenty of extracurricular activities and get-togethers.

These events help build the family environment and a pride in being a Knight’s employee. This is a big reason why so many customers come back repeatedly. “People come into our stores and see the guy who helped them out for the past ten years,” said Dix. “Customers are loyal to us because we know what we’re talking about and don’t lie about our products.”

If you need paint or other supplies locally, come out to the Chico location where manager David Cordova (pictured above) will be happy to help. Contact the company at knightspaint@aim.com or 530-891-9700. Their other locations can be found in Grass Valley, Roseville, and Redding.

Employment in the Post-Pandemic Age

JESSICA DARLING WILKERSON, MA, LMFT 104464 LICENSED MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPIST EMDR CLINICIAN

The job market feels like Crazy Town lately! Employers and prospective employees are navigating an awkward "Langoliers" by Steven King situation of finding the right fit with each other. One minute, everything is flying along smoothly, everyone knows what to expect, and the next moment there's a shift that feels like a wasteland of workers and good jobs. It feels topsy-turvy to both parties, but each is so deeply affected by the situation that it's difficult to navigate gracefully. Some tips:

Applicants:

- Respond promptly and thank the employer for their time. Setting aside time to interview you means they are not doing 100 other things on their plates to keep their business running, so they were choosy about who they gave their time and attention to for an interview. - Follow up. An email or hand-written note thanking them for meeting with you, reminding them why you're a good fit, and what you enjoyed learning about their business during the interview has always been a good way to stand out from the crowd. - Do not start correspondence with, "Hey." - Dress better than you think you need to. It shows them that you want the job and respect the business and position. Dressing up says, "I want this!" Even if the dress code is more casual.

Employers:

- Be flexible. It's ok to text confirmation of the interview or to text a reschedule. - Ask deep questions (within CA HR limits). You're going to be working with them daily during most waking hours. Will you get along interpersonally? - It's okay to choose not to hire anyone than to hire someone who's "not a good fit, but the best of the group." You are allowed to wait until the right fit comes along even if your current staff is working a little extra. They don't want someone to come in and rock the apple cart; they want a good fit, too! - Be picky. You worked really hard to get here! You deserve to have a smoothly running business with a staff you can truly get behind. Hire the person who stands out and in whom you can feel confident!

Jessica Wilkerson, MA, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist in Chico, CA. She is an EMDR clinician as well as the owner/operator and clinical supervisor of Inspired Life Counseling. For more information, visit www.jessicawilkerson.com and www.inspiredlifechico.com. Jessica can also be reached via phone at (530) 809-1702

Treating keratoconous

Chico Eye Center (CEC), a local leader in ophthalmic care, surgery and research, is excited to announce their positive long-term results with the iLink Cross-Linking Procedure for the treatment of keratoconus.

According to Dr. Sean Liston, a corneal specialist at CEC, keratoconus is a rare sight-threatening disease. While the US prevalence of keratoconus has been reported to be 1-in-2000, some studies suggest that prevalence may be higher in certain populations. Considering that 1-out-of-5 of those people with keratoconus will need a corneal transplant, the need to identify them and treat early to avoid a corneal transplant is paramount. “Corneal transplant surgery is an amazing surgery. It has been around for over 100 years, and it can greatly improve a patient’s quality of life. However, if we can avoid the surgery by performing an out-patient procedure, that is definitely in the best interest of the patient,” says Liston.

The onset of the disease usually occurs from 12 years of age through 20 years of age for the vast majority of patients and is associated with excessive eye-rubbing and eye allergies. According to Dr. Marina Rocchi, an optometrist at CEC, if a patient has a rapidly changing glasses prescription, or if there is a family history of keratoconus, the patient should be evaluated by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist who has the ability to take a picture of the shape of the cornea with a device called a corneal topographer.

CEC was one of the first practices in the United States to offer the treatment. They have over 5 years’ experience with the iLink procedure and have taken care of hundreds of patients with keratoconus. They have the only FDA-approved device between Sacramento and Medford, Oregon and provide care for patients all across the North State. Awareness of the disease in our area has been growing since Golden State Warrior, Steph Curry, has said that he has keratoconus according to Rocchi.

Call the Chico Eye Center at (530) 895-1727 to schedule your consultation today!