San Francisco joke artist turns ‘ghost town’ Google office into Spirit Halloween store

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Like many other San Francisco tech companies, Google has yet to return to its offices. With her campus on Embarcadero largely unused, concept artist Danielle Baskin took a look at the type of business that could embark on this type of vacant real estate.

Considering that October 31 is just over a month away, the answer was obvious: Spirit Halloween, the costume store that hits malls every year in the months leading up to the holidays.

Baskin, best known for her fake viral website Blue Check Homes or her app that hooks up strangers for phone conversations, owns a commercial-sized printer from a former sign-making company. So she used it by printing a 10ft vinyl replica of the Spirit Halloween logo and then ironed it on fabric purchased from Mission Fabric Outlet. There was no vector art of the logo online, Baskin said, so she hand-rendered it.

Concept artist Danielle Baskin has temporarily installed a Spirit Halloween sign at the Google offices on Embarcadero.

Courtesy of Danielle Baskin

Then, with the help of a few friends, she installed the Google logo banner at the company’s San Francisco office. The group has also put up official-looking construction signage and other Spirit Halloween ephemera, such as job flyers. Much of it was made for fun, but the farce has a broader meaning.

“Right before the pandemic, I had a studio on Market Street and we were kicked out because they were changing owners of the building,” Baskin told SFGATE by phone from outside the Google office. “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about unused real estate in San Francisco. So many people wish they had a woodworking shop or a space to make things. And there are so many weird empty halls with chairs in which to make things. no one sits down, and desks where employees don’t even come to work because they can work from home at any time. “

A prop used by concept artist Danielle Baskin during the recreation of a Spirit Halloween store at the Google offices in San Francisco.

Courtesy of Danielle Baskin

With the sign installed, Baskin and his team of 10 posed as Spirit Halloween staff. Dressed in construction uniforms, they were carrying boxes and pretending to argue about their manager, hoping to have silly interactions with pedestrians.

“We thought we would do a lot of interaction with the people who work in the area, but it’s a ghost town here. That’s actually where Spirit Halloween comes in. It’s like the grim reaper of industries by train. to die, ”Baskin said.

After about two hours, Google finally caught wind of the prank and a security team arrived… in the middle of our phone interview.

“Oh… someone with a walkie-talkie walks up to the panel,” said Baskin, standing next to a cart and a stack of boxes. “OK, great, I can watch this unfold in real time. I wonder if they’re going to come see me and think I did. We should probably go. OK, we have a lot of security ahead. I am. ‘I’m going to leave the premises, just casually. “

Corresponding later via direct message, Baskin said Google removed the sign and reported the incident, but took no further action. She tried to convince the eight security guards at the scene to let her keep the sign for reuse, but at time of publication, the location of the sign is unknown. While the sign may be lost for good, the prank lasted longer than Baskin had expected.

“It’s just a joke to point out all the empty space that is in here,” Baskin wrote. “It’s also in a beautiful location, this building overlooks the bridge and it’s such a beautiful area, but it’s totally unused. No one is even in this yard, because I don’t think people feel them. welcome to Google headquarters. “