"Soon after opening the shop, which he called The Ink Stone, an architect friend of Smith's was bemoaning the fact that he had to drive to Richmond to pick up blueprints. Again, Smith saw an opportunity, and began printing blueprints at his store, as well as carrying drafting supplies, balsa and basswood for model making, and other architectural supplies."
"We became a one-stop shop for architects, engineers and contractors, said Anawin Juntanamalaga, the current owner of the Ink Stone. The shop was also a popular place for architecture and art students, and within a couple of years Smith relocated the store to Bowditch Street to be closer to the College of Environmental Design UC Berkeley's architecture school and to the school's art department. The store remained at the location for 44 years."
"Juntanamalaga began working part time at the Ink Stone in 2000 while studying landscape architecture at UC Berkeley, and took a full-time role after graduation. After a decade working there, he became the owner when Smith retired. Smith wanted to sell it to somebody that knew the business and was there for a while, said Juntanamalaga. And so we were able to work out a deal and make it work."
Fifty years ago Chuck Smith, a UC Berkeley MBA student, opened The Ink Stone as a basement stationery store on Euclid Avenue serving college students. The store expanded into blueprint printing and architectural supplies after recognizing local demand, adding drafting materials and model-making wood. The Ink Stone moved to Bowditch Street to be closer to the College of Environmental Design and the art department, remaining there for 44 years. Anawin Juntanamalaga began working there part time in 2000, later became full-time and purchased the business after Smith retired. The shop relocated to Telegraph Avenue in 2020 and now occupies space on Durant Avenue in the Sather Lane Shops.
Read at www.berkeleyside.org
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