MENTOR, Ohio — Krazy Bins opened its doors in Mentor on Friday but the discount retailer’s neon-green storefront almost didn’t make it through city review without changes.
The night before the store opened, the city’s Planning Commission spent nearly an hour debating whether the bold green paint job was architecture — or signage — and what that distinction would mean for the business, located at 7723 Mentor Ave.
Owner Noah Leavitt told commissioners the work wasn’t meant to be flashy. He said he repaired rotted sections of the building and repainted the exterior, not realizing that the large green field behind the store’s lettering could be interpreted under city code as part of the sign itself…