I photographed The Goodness Gracious Juice Bar because its aquamarine exterior and round signage stood out the moment I saw it. Those colors and shapes reminded me of Miami, where I lived from 1972 through 1988. The building had that same easygoing South Florida feel—bright, bold, and a little nostalgic. That personal connection made it an ideal subject for my Architectural Nightscapes of Pittsboro series.
What made the building even more unique was the fact that the juice bar was physically connected to a car wash. It was an unexpected pairing, but it added character and a bit of eccentricity. That combination of charm, color, and layout made the scene visually compelling and worth preserving.
Goodness Gracious eventually closed, and the building is now home to a Hawaiian barbecue restaurant. Much of the original character—the aquamarine paint, the signage, the personality—has been replaced. The photograph has become a record of a local spot that no longer exists in its original form. This is part of why the image means more to me now than when I first took it.
Like most of my nightscapes, the image began during the blue hour. That early evening light gives me a clean, balanced starting point.
In post-processing, I transformed the scene into a nightscape by:
Darkening the sky and reshaping the overall mood
Adding strategic lighting to draw attention to key architectural details
Highlighting specific areas—like the round sign and the front façade—to increase depth and dramatic effect
This controlled use of lighting allows me to guide the viewer’s eye and bring out the features that originally caught my attention. It’s a way of showing the building as I experienced it, not just as the camera recorded it.
The Goodness Gracious Juice Bar is available as a limited edition fine art print, produced, signed, and numbered in my studio. Each print includes a Certificate of Authenticity and is cataloged in my records.
You can view this piece at the Pittsboro Gallery of Arts in downtown Pittsboro, or you can purchase a print directly from my website.
If you’d prefer a custom size or framing option, feel free to contact me.
