Yahoo! It's actually happening!

Why is Kahnie the pig so happy?

Thanks to a very generous anonymous gift to the museum’s Capital Fund, we now anticipate completing renovations of our permanent home in January 2012. 

The 19,300 sq. ft. facility is about 450% larger than the museum’s current home at Essex Studios in the Walnut Hills area of Cincinnati.  The historic building will allow us to consolidate all operations under one roof, bringing together our extensive collection of historically significant acquisitions. The collection includes a photo archive filled with nearly 1200 vintage black-and-white prints and transparencies, as well as a substantial library of more than 800 sign-related books and catalogs.

Signs are lining up in anticipation of moving into their forever home

Workers kick up the dust as
they begin the demo phase

The main area of the museum -- designated “Signs on Main Street”-- focuses on a street scene characterized by life-size storefronts stretching along and facing in towards a “town square.”  The three-dimensional, period storefronts serve as a backdrop for a range of historic signs, and the windows of the storefronts showcase smaller signs and sign-related objects.  

The 28-ft. high ceilings of the town square area of “Signs on Main Street” serve to display some of the museum’s larger signs.  Among these are some great American icons including a 1963 Speedee McDonald’s sign and a 1958 Howard Johnson’s sign.  Another especially exciting addition will be a working neon shop where museum visitors can watch neon production first-hand. 

We are also planning an events area that will enable the us to transform the museum into an entertainment venue with the latitude to play host to meetings, seminars, and receptions.  A full-scale (16 x 50-ft.) Mail Pouch barn wall sign, rescued from Lanesville, IN, will serve as the backdrop for such activities.

We are very excited about moving forward on this MAJOR step for the museum and can't wait to share the grand opening of your American Sign Museum. We hope you're excited too! 

But while the gift secures the completion of the general construction, we must raise an additional $200,000 for:

• designing, fabricating, and installing the new exhibits
• restoring many signs that have been waiting in the wings for their big debut
• moving EVERYTHING from our current location
• adding the needed technology and furnishings to complete the museum

If you have not supported the museum in the past, there has never been a better time to do so.  There are many ways to join in the excitement and support the museum:

• make your mark (literally) with your personal message that will be a part of the museum forever by purchasing a paver or painting a panel that will line the entrance floor and lobby wall, respectively. 
• restore a sign through our Adopt a Sign program: Sponsor the restoration of a specific sign or even restore a sign in your own shop.   
• become a member.

To all of you who have supported the museum to date, our sincere thanks.  You can be proud for the part you’ve played in making it all come together.  To those of you who are waiting for the chance, there’s still time.  Become a member online or contact me at 513-258-4020 or tod@signmuseum.org.

American Pickers We're Not

[Below is my article from the May issue of Signs of the Times.]
AMERICAN PICKERS WE'RE NOT

The romantic notion of Tod cruising for signs is just that.

I’m often asked, “How do you get all these signs?” The visitor usually begins to answer his own question: “Do you buy them on eBay? Do people call you and say they have a sign for you? Are they donated? Do you drive around like American Pickers?” All apply -- except the American Picker method. The idea that I drive around the country looking for signs is just a romantic notion. The museum doesn’t have the money, or the time.
Increasingly, people call the museum to tell us about a sign for sale or set for the wrecking ball. Or, it may be a sign from the caller’s family business that has succumbed to the economy. Whatever the case, I’ve learned the more I chase a sign, the less likely I’ll succeed. The best signs sometimes fall in our lap. I don’t know if I can attribute it to clean living . . . maybe just good vibes.

Two signs acquired -- ostensibly for our “Signs of Cincinnati” wall in the new home -- provide great examples. The first sign, from Big Top, a long-closed, independent burger joint in Mason, OH, is an example of a chase. The second example, from Suder’s Art Store, is a classic local sign that I had no inkling would ever come down. But, now it sits in the museum’s restoration shop.
The “Big Top” saga traces back six years ago, when I first began receiving phone calls and e-mails about this cool sign on a boarded-up building. To find the owner, I called the city of Mason and contacted other area businesses. I got the owner’s name, and was told he owned a number of pizza establishments. I called several of them asking to speak to the owner. He was never there. Employees offered to take messages, but wouldn’t give out his number. Never a return call.
Late last year, the property was listed for sale. The realtor facilitated talking to the owner in person. After six years, and with help from our friends at United-Maier Signs, we acquired the sign. But, time had taken its toll. In 2005, the paint on the sheetmetal was still in relatively good shape. But, six years later, almost no paint remained. Typically, we don’t like to repaint signs we acquire.
Even worse, a huge crease marred the bottom cabinet of the three-tiered sign. A truck had probably backed into the hapless icon. Its entire structural integrity had been compromised. United-Maier removed it in one piece, and the sign sits in their shop, awaiting its future.

The “Suder’s” sign proceeded differently. It had hung since the late 1930s on this well-known family business inThe romantic notion of Tod cruising for signs is just that. the Over-the-Rhine area of Cincinnati. Once a thriving community, Over-the-Rhine had suffered urban decay. Somehow, the business persevered in supplying lettering enamel, brushes and goldleaf.
In the last five years, the area experienced redevelopment, and the neighborhood shows signs of new vitality. But, the sign continued to experience the typical decay of a sheetmetal, neon sign. The owners decided to remove it -- unbeknownst to the museum.
Dauber (aka Jim Farr), a well-known auto pinstriper and gilder, told us about the sign’s removal. He said customers told the Suder family to donate the sign to the museum.
They agreed. To sweeten the deal, Dauber offered to donate a new sign for the business, which he’ll design in the style of the original.
The sign awaits neon repair and rewiring. The chipped paint and rusted sheetmetal -- the sign’s earned patina -- will remain. The neon will be replaced and glow once again. An era of the sign’s history ends, but its future is secure.

Satellite Shopland Then and Now

I have been collaborating withTeresa Young (see her profile at http://www.signhugger.com/), on her Once Upon a Sign series to create blog posts about individual signs in the museum's collection.  Our most recent collaboration presents the story of the Satellite Shopland sign, one of my personal favorites.  I would run it here in its entirely, if i knew how. Next best thing is to send you to her blog.  You'll find some great stuff there in addition to the Satellite Shopland post.  Enjoy.