Later, Bones — Sunshine Co. mural painted over

“The mural that was just painted over was done in 2005 — and there was one before that as well that included local characters at the time…. We had the ZZ Top–looking guy, who was John, a worker from the Black,” Todd Hummel told me from behind the bar. “We had the James Gang brothers on there. The guy driving the car was John Small, the original owner of this place. And then there was Brian and Bones on the walls. There are still some [on the side walls] that weren’t covered.”

The longtime employee — 25 years — described why the 2005 pirates and booze themed mural had to go.

“After 12 years of people scratching out eyes, putting gum on the wall, just dirt, and corrosion, combined with the salt air, it was time, it was falling apart," Hummel said. “And I think when Pam and Gary bought the bar — about two years ago — they really wanted to make it their own, with their own ideas. Pam was a bartender here during the days, then she became office manager, and then the GM and John [owner at the time] was, like, I can sell it to someone else and employees would lose their jobs and stuff or I can sell it to you and keep the family together.”

The Sunshine family stayed together, and O.B. resident and artist Jack Stricker started the new mural this week and described its concept.

“I worked with both owners but also had my own ideas. They liked this one the best. There’s a similar ‘San Diego’ one up in North Park; that’s where I kind of got the idea from…. It’s gonna look like an old-school postcard,” Stricker said. “Each square will be a different letter, in block letters; it’ll spell out ‘Sunshine’ and below each letter will have its own little scene of Ocean Beach.”

One section of the mural is dedicated to Jim “Mouse” Robb.

“I'm replicating that photo of him holding the woman [Judy Dibble?] while surfing,” he said.

“There’s going to be a skate scene, I’ve got a picture of my friend Shuriken doing a huge air on the cliffs, parrots, the pier, and then maybe Dog Beach but probably like the arch and the cliffs — maybe someone jumping off the arch — or maybe No Surf or Dog Beach.”

Stricker will be working on the mural all week. The Reader will post an image of the completed mural once it’s done.

UPDATE