ARCHIVE: Author Archive:

Our Work At Crossings Hits A Milestone

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night….” That’s the legendary inscription on the James Farley Post Office in New York City. But lately we’ve been thinking of carving those same words into the wall of our own fabrication facility, because our guys have been warriors when it comes to installing signage under difficult or even adverse conditions for our customers. For example, the photo accompanying this post shows Glenn Stetzler up in the cherry picker in the middle of some exterior installation work at Crossings. It’s a shopping plaza managed by KeyPoint Partners, who asked us to do extensive work, including building signage, main entrance identity signage, and exterior way-finding signage. We have faced a lot of

Steeped as we are in the sign business, we make a serious effort to do our jobs as perfectly as we can. But we also get a laugh now and then from signs that “fail,” as well as those that are intentionally funny. Last year, we posted a few funny signs that tickled our funny bones. Here are a few more signs that also bring a chuckle: Let’s begin with something I try to teach everyone on our team: Rule # 1 is to read the sign before you install it! It’s a simple rule that pays lots of benefits: I also like when signs make sense. When they don’t, it’s often funny. Like this one: Or this one:

LEDs have become commonplace in our modern society. We see them on our smartphones. They illuminate many different indicators on our appliances and in our cars. Soon, they’ll be illuminating your home and your workplace. They work so well, in fact, that lately we’ve begun retrofitting all types of exterior and interior signage with them. Aside from their brightness, long life, and power-saving nature, one of the most exciting attributes is their ability to change color. In point of fact, however, no single LED actually does change color. What the human eye perceives as a color changing LED is actually a group of LEDs housed together, and packaged with a tiny computer that controls their operation. In the usual configuration,

In two previous posts (here and here), we introduced the concept of retrofitting older signage with newer, better illumination technology: LEDs, and also showed how fast and easy the conversion can be. This time, let’s detail some of the significant advantages that such a conversion will bring your business: LEDs Deliver Modern Advantages Great Sign Appearance Means Great Results LEDs make any sign shine far brighter in any weather, in any temperature. Steady, bright, consistent illumination with no shadows projects a more modern and successful image than dim, flickering, or burned-out signage. LEDs are Better for the Environment LEDs consume far less power than neon or fluorescent, significantly reducing your carbon footprint. They contain no lead, glass, or mercury, and require no

One of the simplest concepts we try to get across to our clients is that – regardless of what else it may be and what complex purposes it may be designed to fulfill – signage is at bottom a form of advertising. And the twin points of advertising are: 1) to get noticed, and 2) to convey a message. Basically, you want your signage to make a statement. The better the statement, the more effective your signage. Fair enough. Let’s look at some of the many ways you can get your signage to make a powerful, persuasive statement that helps your business succeed with your prospects and customers: Go Visual With Your Signs Aside from the material you choose, a

Retail sales depend greatly on giving prospective customers a clear idea of what you’re selling, and then making it fast and easy for them to get what they want, when they want it. That’s why retail stores often live (or die) on the quality of their signage. Whether you are running a “Mom and Pop” sandwich shop or coordinating brand and local signage for a regional chain, here are some simple suggestions to help you open a new store, or improve the signage in any retail operation: Keep Your Signs Looking New In most retail situations, nothing turns off potential customers more quickly and permanently than the feeling your store is old, out of date, or dirty. Your signage serves

Signs may be in her blood. Elena started her career managing national accounts at a small sign company in Haverhill, MA, before moving to another sign company in Hudson, NH. Polishing her skills and learning the business, she pined for an opportunity to combine national accounts marketing with business development and trade show action. Just about the time she began to feel confined, she learned of an opportunity at Metro Sign and Awning, and leaped at it. It was a perfect fit. Elena was looking to flex her marketing muscles, and Metro Sign was looking to grow. “We have great people in all the right positions, ” she explains, “and I have all the tools to create my own success.

How Many Kinds of Signs Can You Name? There are more than 206 bones in the human body, each one with its own name, from cranial bones to vertebrae, and from the vomer to the clavicle. That’s more bones than types of signage, but our industry nevertheless can marshal quite a line-up of different ways to convey messages to people. How many different types of signs can you name? Below are some photos, with a link that lets you see what that type of sign is called. Sign Type 1: This high-profile sign is the kind you’ll see outside many developments, such as shopping centers, highway service establishments, or multi-tenant commercial parks. Depending on circumstances and visual

Convert Your Existing Signs to LED Technology – Part 2 Last time, we discussed some of the benefits that make LED illumination such a great option for signage, much better than the neon or fluorescent tubes currently in use in so many existing signs. This time, let’s assume you’ve been convinced to consider a switch to LEDs. Here’s what’s involved in making the changeover: Simple Conversion Process The first step is to see what you’ve got right now. Our crew comes to your location(s) and inspects your current signage. We’re interested not only in the design, but the physical sizes and shapes where illumination is required. We not only measure each linear run of lighting, but we also look at

New “Blade” Sign at Charles Playhouse “Hysterically funny.” “Visually stunning.” “Wildly inventive.” Those are some of the salutatory words used to describe the Blue Man Group‘s show, Tubes/Rewired/NowMoreWow, currently in residence at Boston’s historic Charles Playhouse, 74 Warrenton Street. Since the Blue Man Group began performing at the Charles Playhouse, back in 1995, its three members have felt extremely comfortable there in the heart of Boston’s theater district. The venue, which first opened its doors in 1958 in a building that dates from 1839, easily lent itself to the group’s “multi-sensory” show, which combines elements of theater, percussion, and visual arts, in an unlikely mix with both science and vaudeville. Audiences have responded enthusiastically, making the Blue Man Group‘s show