Arsene “Blackie” Gadarian points the way from alongside his forklift, which has also faded from bright orange to dull pink. Scott Brothers Pacific Painting Supervisors John Leake and Ryan Teft are gingerly perched on the pitched metal roof to apply the bright orange paint.

LAHAINA – Blackie’s Machine Shop on Luakini Street in Lahaina has been there for 17 years.

Arsene “Blackie” Gadarian and his wife, Sara, constructed the building in 1995 in the same style as their famous Blackie’s Boat Yard and Blackie’s Bar building located at the corner of Honoapiilani Highway and Kapunakea Street.

Atop the two-story building is a custom wind vane of a sinking sailboat, designed deliberately to point in the opposite direction of the wind.

It was on top of the Blackie’s Bar building to reflect the former motto: “Promote Safe Boating… Stay Ashore and Drink.”

Blackie insisted that the metal roof of Blackie’s Machine Shop building be his signature color (orange), and through the years it has been painted and repainted.

The last painting job was done in 2006, and the color faded to a dull pink.

On Nov. 28, Scott Brothers Pacific Inc. painted the roof in a special color formulation supplied by Ameritone-Maui.