I used to be Local Stain Plus, and I am excited to announce the new name, Merlin’s.  It’s a shorter name.   It’s smarter, more imaginative, extremely innovative, and totally not nerdy, at all.  And as a matter of fact, Merlin’s has been in the works for a little over a year.  I just hadn’t announced it yet, until now.  Why? Curveballs. And it can be necessary to pivot, and even take a couple steps back when setting up for a running head start.  So it didn’t feel right then, but it does now.

  When I first started my business and had to pick a name, I felt a little overwhelmed staring into the vast ocean of fierce and competitive business names and brands. I struggled to find a name that felt true to what I was being driven to build.  I wanted something unique and memorable, but also wanted to get going ASAP.  After brainstorming for a while and coming up short, I decided to talk with my grandfather.  He mentioned that as a teenager, he worked for his uncle Almond, who had a window cleaning business called Red Ladder back around the 40’s and 50’s, and they painted the ladders red to stand out, hence the name. Of all the things he told me about his life when I spent summers with my grandparents, he never once mentioned that I had window cleaning in my blood! Of course there was no way to predict my destiny at that time. Yet, knowing that information now, my Encouragement level increased to 100!

I began cleaning and staining more fences and decks, and after fumbling around with a couple of names I eventually landed on Local Stain Plus.   It was to the point and descriptive, expressed my love for wood preservation, and was definitely different.  However as time went on it became limiting, and ultimately started to feel stale.  It wasn’t as versatile as I originally imagined, and no matter how much I tried to level it up with the awesome logo and social media assets, designed by the talented Dylan Smith, it became clear to me that I wanted something different.

  To better serve and find solutions for my customers, I am constantly seeking knowledge and ways to improve efficiency.  I join groups, attend seminars (major shoutout to the incredible team at Expert Stain and Seal for putting on Staining University), take classes, and try to spend a portion of each day focused solely on some aspect of my business.  I eventually found the Wizard of Wood, Everett Abrams, a legend in the industry.  He has such a wealth of valuable information and experience, and created the definitive wood restoration training program.  I eventually decided to join and took the courses, passed the exam, and have continued to study since.   

Between taking these courses and my unapologetic (and at times adolescent) fascination with all things in the fictitious world of wizardry, I found Merlin’s was the perfect name, especially from a branding perspective.  It’s one word, could encompass all of my services, and reinforces those transformative elements underlying the magical customer experiences I am building towards creating with every job.

A few months after solidifying Merlin’s, I was having a conversation with a customer who also happens to be a graphic designer, Tracy Ratzlaff, and he offered to make the logo for Merlin’s.  I told him what I had in mind,  and he worked his magic.  It turned out way better than I could’ve imagined, and makes me truly thankful for all the extraordinary people I have the pleasure and opportunity to get to know and serve.

And that’s it.  Local Stain Plus is Merlin’s now.  And it’s going to be fun.  I love what I do, and it’s amazing to look back on starting this journey with only a mop, a squeegee, and my trust and faith in God’s will, watching as things unfold one step at a time.  And I look forward to embarking upon this quest, working with you to restore your realm, and bring the magic back to your kingdom!