ARCHIVE: Category Archive for: Exterior Signage

9 Types of Business Signs and Services

If you’ve been looking into business signage, you might have found yourself bombarded with new terminology. Pylon, monument, blade… what’s the difference between all these types of signs? Here are the standard options for exterior and interior business signs. We hope these pictures and descriptions help clear up any confusion. You can also use our interactive Educational Sign Type Tool to learn more. Types of Exterior and Interior Business Signs Pylon Signs Pylon signs are the large, freestanding signs that are meant to be seen from a distance. They’re usually supported by one or two tall posts, and you’ve seen them used by gas stations, hotels, shopping centers, and restaurants along busy roads or highways. They can advertise a single

There’s no denying the far-reaching impact that LEDs in the creation of signs. They’ve advanced creativity, and their versatility has allowed firms to lower their SKU counts. Further, color while color LED can be only marginally more expensive than white light and controllers are as easy to install as drivers. Sign-making vendors discuss these benefits and the growing allure of LEDs

Revitalizing Historic Hudson Mills

A multi-million dollar renovation is underway in Hudson, Massachusetts. Developers are revitalizing the iconic Landing at Hudson Mills for contemporary use. When Mark Development and Manzo-Freeman Development began upgrading the treasured landmark with modern systems, utilities, and finishes, they knew they had to include signage to attract tenants. They called on Metro to build a welcoming focal point for clients and employees visiting the transformed space. A Sign of the Times We were excited to work with The Landing at Hudson Mills because the project was two-fold. They needed us to design and build an upscale and illuminated sign that had some historical elements. Our team worked closely with the owners to create a piece that could sit on their

Almost every brick-and-mortar business needs good signage. For many companies in a variety of industries, the design above the door plays a major role in encouraging potential customers to step inside.

See You on the Waterfront

If you ask any member of our team about the most exciting part of our work, you’ll likely get the same answer: Every project is unique. There’s never a cookie-cutter solution—and that’s where we get our inspiration. Recently, the design team at the real estate development company Related Beal approached us with one such challenge. In this case, the city of Boston had asked the luxury rental company to place wayfinding signs in strategic locations on Boston’s waterfront. The signs needed to help pedestrians navigate the bustling waterfront where the company’s Lovejoy Wharf property is located while complying with city, district, and environmental codes. Mapping Walking Traffic The first challenge was to identify the most elegant positioning for the signs

“I passed a new place and it looks pretty cool. We should try it.” How many times has a friend said this? You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can gather a really favorable first impression from the outside of an eatery. Is it fun or fancy? Healthy or heart attack? Exterior design can be the first draw, even before the menu is posted. That was the case with a recent Metro Sign & Awning project. Prior to Grainmaker opening a second location at 248 Elm Street in Somerville (the first one was at 91 Summer Street in Boston), owner Chris Freeman contacted us. Things were taking off for the young entrepreneur and he wanted to maintain

In May we were helping brand the National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) non-profit canine center just in time for their grand opening. And speaking of furry, four-legged friends, most of the signs you see around a lion’s living quarters say “Beware” or “Danger.” Our client, The Ecotarium Museum of Science and Nature, wanted just the opposite: a warm, inviting archway to welcome visitors to their new wildcat exhibit. We did not disappoint! A Pet Project The NEADS non-profit canine center in Princeton, Massachusetts, provides dogs for the deaf, disabled, veterans, children with autism, classrooms, hospitals, courthouses, mental health practices, ministries and prisons. Their puppies are provided by breeders and animal shelter rescues around the country. When they came

The Briar Group, one of our long-term customers, was looking to open a new restaurant and bar featuring live music at Patriot’s Place in Foxborough, Massachusetts. We were thrilled to be called on for this challenging new venture, Six String Grill & Stage. They requested production, design and installation services from us based on conceptual layouts. One wrinkle was that the original as-built building drawings were no longer available. However, we were able to collaborate with several of the original stakeholders to fully grasp the desired look and design specs. With a few engineering challenges and a short lead time, this ended up being an exciting project we won’t soon forget. Creating the “Wow” Factor The Briar Group’s design firm,

ACRYLITE® LED Signs Light Up Your Business Success ACRYLITE® acrylic by Evonik Industries is a truly innovative improvement on the traditional polycarbonate, aka acrylic, structural material. It’s the preferred modern choice of architects, designers, engineers and fabricators of indoor and outdoor signage. The lightweight, rigid yet malleable material performs equally well with LED, fluorescent, incandescent and neon light sources. ACRYLITE® acrylic has many superior characteristics: Outstanding weather endurance Flexible and easy to form Colorfast for no fading Easy installation High optical quality Extended life Lower operating cost Recyclable Impact resistance and stability Energy efficiency Here’s a brief introduction to some of the most popular products: ACRYLITE® LED Color Changing Backlit Since shop signs often glow around the clock, energy-saving

Face the former Waltham Music Hall, stare up at the facade and you can almost hear the plinking of a piano, the tapping of shoes and the rustling of costumes. The roaring twenties brought the raucous acts of vaudeville right here in Waltham on Elm Street long, long ago. Built in 1879, the grand hall is on the National Register of Historic Places in New England. Literary greats like Mark Twain, Oliver Wendell Holmes and Henry Ward Beecher all lectured here. The Boston Symphony and the New York Philharmonic filled the 1,000 seat theatre with booming concert music. A great dance floor welcomed revelers from surrounding towns. Jim McElroy had been an admirer for 45 years, so finally he bought