New Crabs merch in a new merch booth

By [email protected] | on June 08, 2023

NEW BOOTH Mary Ellen Barthman with the new merchandise booth. Come by and purchase a shoutout. Janine Volkmar | Union

A retired gentleman who prefers to be anonymous has built the most fabulous merchandise booth for the Crabs this season. It's painted bright red with white trim and it is hard to miss!

What's great about it is that all the 22 wood panels are labeled with letters and numbers so that, at the end of the season, it all comes apart for storage until the next year.

This generous man worked for the phone company for "25 years" and now enjoys woodworking of all kinds, including making wooden toys. His daughter is a friend of a Crabs board member so, as it so often happens in Humboldt Crabs nation, he got volunteered. "I built it during the rainy season," he said, "working outside, so I did the building and painting in between the rain. If I had worked on it straight through, it would have taken probably a week and a half."

The booth features Dutch doors on the side and, in the front, wooden flaps that raise up to make counter space. The attention to detail is remarkable, with every contingency provided for, from a hook to hold half of the Dutch door from flapping in the wind to the handmade wooden door pulls. It's bigger and more secure than the old merchandise booth which will be a great help to the volunteers who staff it. The roof is transparent so they can get a suntan while they work. The floor is wooden so no more standing on concrete.

Stop by to see the wide variety of hats, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other souvenirs. Fans can also purchase a shoutout that will be read from the announcers’ booth. What better way to celebrate someone's birthday or special day? A shoutout to this dedicated volunteer woodworker! Thank you!