Once-Dilapidated Tower Records Mural Coming Back To Life

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The restoration of the former Downtown Sacramento Tower Records mural is set to be unveiled on Monday.

Plans to restore the dilapidated piece of artwork at K and 8 streets have been in the works for years.

With Solomon's Deli set to open at the former Tower Records location, the time was right to start.

"This is something I've been inspired by since I was a kid in my own artistic journey, so I really feel honored about bringing it back to life," said lead artist Shaun Burner.

The original mural was commissioned by Tower Records founder Russ Solomon back in 1973 and was completed by local artists Frank Carson and Mitch Aronson in about three months.

"These guys were probably, like, 23 at the time they painted this," Burner said.

Burner says restoration work took about two months.

However, due to the dilapidated state of the mural, Burner notes that they had to recreate about 80 percent of the art.

"As much as it is a restoration, it really is a recreation," Burner said.

The restored mural is set to be unveiled during a street party on Monday started at 4 p.m.

Solomon's Deli bears the namesake of the late Tower Records founder, who passed away this year at age 92. An exact opening date for the restaurant has not been released.