Although Kevin Pekkala has lived in Two Harbors for about ten years, he named his business Silverstar Painting and Drywall to reflect his fond memories of his home state of Washington.
“Out west, there is a Silver Star Mountain,” he said. “It always stuck with me. I always liked the name.”
With years of experience in interior and exterior commercial and residential painting alongside a local contractor, Pekkala started his small family business nearly two years ago. He also happens to have a big family; he is a grandpa with seven kids, two of whom still live at home.
“I have my two teenage boys, who are in high school, that help me when they don’t have school,” he said. “They make it easier on me!”
As Pekkala began taking on painting jobs, he recognized a need in the area for a reliable drywall contractor. Having done drywall work with contractors in the past, he decided to add this service to his offerings.
During my interview with Pekkala, I expressed my struggles with drywall in our home build, lamenting my poor sanding skills and dislike for the dust. There is a certain finesse to the trade, which Pekkala acknowledged. He recalled how he once had to take a personality test while working for a contractor.
“My personality was attention to detail,” he said. I’m sure this is something his customers appreciate when he works in their homes and businesses. “I’ve been doing work with some of the bigger contractors, and they are all about quality.”
This commitment to quality is something Pekkala has carried forward into his own business.
“The drywalling, taping, and mudding work on my room was exceptional and very well done,” said a recent customer.
Silverstar Painting offers free estimates. Pekkala noted that sometimes estimates can be made after viewing pictures of the job, while other times, he needs to visit the site for a better understanding of the cost. He has worked as far south as Esko and Cloquet and as far north as Silver Bay. His current lead time is about one month.
“It’s usually pretty quick once I can get to the job,” Pekkala explained, noting that patch jobs typically only take a couple of days, while larger jobs require more time. “The drywall side of it ranges from new construction to repairs. If somebody gets water damage, once they fix the leak, I can come in, patch it, and match the texture.”
One of his recent customers praised how Silverstar Painting left the job site clean every day and noted his responsiveness.
“Kevin was extremely easy to work with from start to finish. He answered all my questions and returned calls/texts immediately,” she said. “He kept me updated on the progress. I’d highly recommend Kevin and Silverstar Painting & Drywall.”
Silverstar Painting & Drywall can be reached at 218-721-6215. Their website is silverstarduluth.com.
