Streetbot: Retail on Wheels

In San Jose, you’ve liked MoGo on Facebook , you’ve followed Treatbot on Twitter, you might have even watched the new Food Truck Road Race on the Food Network Channel. Food trucks are all the rage right now. Now imagine if the latest art and fashions were served up food truck style?

Local urban boutique, The Usuals, teamed up with Treatbot (the food truck that brings ice cream and karaoke to your neighborhood) to create Streetbot, a store on wheels. You can buy clothes and even shop from a gallery of local, original artwork. Speaking of art, check out the truck’s exterior. Streetbot called on 7 muralists (all who work in the south bay) to deck out the truck with creative design and skill, using everything from acrylics, spray paint, handmade stenciling and sharpies. The Streetbot muralists, Christine Benjamin, Lacey Bryant, Michael Buscemi, Michael Foley, Anabella Piñon, Kori Thompson, & Wädl, also designed shirts that will be sold exclusively in Streetbot.
“When Ryan Sebastian of Treatbot came to us with the idea of a mobile gallery called Streetbot, we figured we would take it a step further and turn it into a roaming mural, art gallery, and retail store! It’s a great way to take gallery art into the every-changing world of street art,” says Marie Millares, who runs the shop with her brother Mike Millares.

In addition to some cool local art, the retail truck carries a sampling of The Usuals inventory of well priced urban ware and accessories, as well as some of their must-see collection of original screen printed t-shirts. Two of my favorite things, art and shopping all in one.

I found out about the Bay Area’s store on wheels by shopping at The Usuals (1020 The Alameda in San Jose). Marie Millares was cool enough to give me a sneak peak while the artists were hard to work on the truck’s colorful exterior. It was like dropping in on a jam session of a friend’s band—there was that feeling of creativity and excitement. In fact, you can get a taste of this artistic experience. When you do get a chance to check out Streetbot, be sure to grab a piece of chalk and contribute your own art. “The truck is covered in chalkboard paint, so the intent is to encourage visitors to become an extended part of that art project,” says Marie Millares. “I have yet to see someone attempt to continue the artwork from the mural down into the chalkboard areas. I’d be so stoked if someone did that.”

To find Streetbot’s next appearance, you check them out on Facebook, follow Streetbot’s exploits on Twitter, or just keep an eye peeled for the truck with the Bay Area’s most killer paint job.

If you want to catch Streetbot and also enjoy shopping and art at The Usuals storefront, drop by for their monthly art show opening on October 29th 6-9pm for “Dia de la Vida” Show.

And if one retail truck wasn’t enough for you, a few more, including Cynthia Rowley and Skechers, are hitting the road with their stock. Check out this story from the LA Times.