Under the Sun: Alex Flores, paint store guy

Tell us a little about yourself

I’m 21, and grew up in Glen Ellen. I went to Dunbar School and Altimira, and graduated from Sonoma Valley High School in 2015. I spent a year at Santa Rosa Junior College studying for an auto industry job, which I got working at O’Reilly Auto Parts. In November of 2018, I started at Sonoma Paint Center, the Benjamin Moore store just west of the library.

Are there any local teachers you remember who stand out to you?

Yes, my first and second grade teacher at Dunbar, Miss Campbell, she was a really nice teacher. She was always outgoing and loud. At Altimira Miss Taylor was super cool, and very approachable. She had a chill vibe and I was not intimidated to approach her. At the high school, Miss Clark, she was so cool. When I drive by her house and see her, I still stop and talk.

How do you like working at Sonoma Paint Center?

I like it. Manager Jorge Hurtado has taught me all about different aspects of paint. I didn’t know there were so many things about paint. Jorge is very good and I can learn a lot from him.

What was your worst screw-up at the paint store?

I was supposed to mix 30 gallons. I got one number wrong in the color formula, and instead of a grey, it came out yellow. The client was a little shocked! We ended up selling the paint to him at a much-reduced price, and he used it for primer on another job. I had to deliver the right formula paint to Napa.

Has Sonoma changed in your lifetime?

No, I don’t feel Sonoma has changed much. I think of it as a very beautiful place. The weather is great. It’s nice here; I like it better than a lot of places. I wish we had an In and Out Burger here. I wish we had more big stores like Target and Wal Mart, bigger companies; there’s not much to do here.

Future plans?

I don’t know what the future has planned for me, but for right now, this is where I want to be.

— Interview by Fred Allebach