Contributed by David Matluck

One day a little green building appeared on Oakland Park Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, just down the street from our corporate headquarters. We do not have a lot of green buildings in our area so it stood out and demanded to be noticed. The sign read “Mythic Paint” and the stated claim was “0% TOXIC 100% SMART.” I had to stop and see for myself what this was about and it was a pleasure to meet the brother and sister team, Derek and Dana Shambora, that ran this establishment and what followed was an on the spot education that opened my eyes and I hope will open yours as well. 

 The claim is that MYTHIC PAINT, the manufacturer, has created a product that is totally environmentally friendly as you will read in their short article to follow.  The significance is not lost on me for a very simple reason. The building materials used in the average home are one of the greatest threats to our health and the environment. Think about the huge variety of chemicals used in glues and resins and finishing materials. 

 Dana tells me that the “AH HAH” moment for her was when her brother, Derek, actually drank some of the paint to drive his point home. (okay, calm down, Derek). The response to the opening of their store has been gratifying and they have had some early success introducing MYTHIC PAINT to the local area BUT more remarkable has been the demand from clients for other “eco-friendly” products to replace what is most common on the market. First they located a non-toxic sealer, then some other nontoxic finishing products, and the concept was born to provide a complete selection of alternative building and finishing material to a public that is clearly “on board.” The decision was made to change the name of their business to ECO SIMPLISTA. The website tells more of the story. Certainly we at Hacienda Matapalo will be incorporating their knowledge with our choices of building materials during the construction of our community and we will be exploring ways of working with ECO SIMPLISTA to keep us aware of the cutting edge alternatives that are being developed for a supportive market.

 For more information and to locate “eco-friendly” products to use here and now in your own home, you can contact Derek and Dana directly at 954-565-5900.

Nationwide shipping is easy and advice is only a phone call away.

Website: www.ecosimplista.com

Address: 699 East Oakland Park Boulevard

Oakland Park, FL 33334

Phone: 954-565-5900

 A few words from Derek Shambora of ECO SIMPLISTA

 Thank you David, for requesting our participation in the Hacienda Matapalo newsletter. As land owners) and lovers of Costa Rica, Costa Ricans, its rich history and the principals by which the country is governed, we are honored to be a small part of this project. Hacienda Matapalo came on our radar approximately 10 months ago via email. We have looked forward to following its progress as we are of a like mind having developed family properties in ecologically sensitive areas (Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia; Gold Key Lake, PA and soon to be in Guanacaste).  The thoroughness and sensitivity of this project is heartfelt. Each member of your community will feel the pride the team is investing in the project and the local community surely will benefit.

 Our paths crossed when David stopped by our store at 699 E Oakland Park Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale Florida. Our belief is that fate brought us together as both operations are in the forefront of the “green” revolution.

 Our Story: Eco Simplista, formerly known as Broward Mythic Paint Supply, is celebrating its 1st anniversary.  Our business started with a single product, Mythic Paint, the first company to totally eliminate the use of carcinogenic solvents in its products and create a far “superior” product. Independent testing laboratories confirm the manufacturer’s claims per chemical analysis and scrub tests (see www.mythicpaint.com). Their product has been rated as the highest quality in its category and the fact that it is VOC free and totally non-toxic is the “icing on the cake” so to say.

 Immediately after opening our store, a customer requested a non-toxic, zero VOC clear sealer for an interior concrete project. We offered to help research the market and once we found a product we liked, we decided to bring it in the store in addition to the paint. 

 The above episode has been repeated to the point whereby a decision was made to change our name to Eco Simplista (www.ecosimplista.com) and we became south Florida’s center for “green” home maintenance, decorating, lifestyle and building materials. Some of the items we carry include non-toxic paint, wood stains, concrete stains, caulking, adhesives, sealers, sustainable flooring, organic and toxin free cleaning products, lighting, water-saving devices, energy-saving tools, and much more of the like.   We also partner with local contractors offering custom concrete services, flooring installation, venation plaster, and impeccable painting and wallpaper services.  Our future growth depends on relationship building with forward thinking organizations such as Hacienda Matapalo and your individual members. Together we can be the solution that our planet deserves.

To view the article online and read the rest of the newsletter click here: http://haciendamatapalo.com/downloads/Dec09NL.pdf

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 10th, 2010 at 8:13 am and is filed under Press. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.