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Signs. We need them. They’re essential to how we get to, through and out of downtown. They direct us, alert us, and inform us. A lot of signs are necessary to make a downtown work well, but not every community knows what a good sign system looks like, or how instrumental it can be to the creation of a successful downtown. Why are sign design guidelines so essential to the success of a downtown? Because too many signs, along with signs that are produced without design parameters, create visual chaos. And visual chaos increases the likelihood that visitors won’t read many or any of them -- our brains simply bypass signs when it takes too much time and energy to make sense of them. With all the stimuli we are subjected to while traversing a downtown, it’s important that signs do their work.
There are two main categories of signs in a downtown. Those the city, village, or township erects, and those the businesses put on the buildings in which they occupy space. If you are trying to create some sign design guidelines in your community, or, if you are trying to win the sign design battle with existing merchants, start by looking at your existing signs.
Community Signage - What kinds of signs do pedestrians, bicyclists and auto-drivers see when they first enter your city limits? What signs are directing visitors to public buildings, sites and parking lots? What about parking signs, street signs, street mall signs, and other necessary signage? Take photos of all of them and analyze them side-by-side. How do they reflect the community’s ‘brand’? How well do they coordinate with one another? Are they easy to read? Do they have unifying elements, i.e.: color, font, material, or shape?
Compare your signs with those of a community that has a successful sign system in place. What design elements tie them all together? Why is their system successful?
The key to an effective sign program is the consistent use of design elements. Signs serve to attract attention in a subtle but effective manner. You can actually train the visitor to quickly read and understand signage when the design elements are properly used.
Business Signs - Take a walk down your Main Street and identify those signs that work well – ones that reflect the essence of the business’s brand, yet are in scale with their façades. Note the signs that share some common denominator with the other business signs, i.e.: sign holder, form of illumination, location on the building.
Not every business owner is capable of designing an attractive storefront sign that works with the size and scale of the building on which it hangs. In communities across America, there are stubborn entrepreneurs (who we love and help make the country what it is!) who want to create a sign that simply meets their needs. They don’t want anyone, especially not a jurisdiction, telling them what to do and not to do with their signs. I understand both sides of this equation, but ultimately, the most optimal solution for increasing business downtown (which helps everyone) is to have some set of guidelines, assuming they allow for some degree of flexibility.
In addition to the business names, take into account the other signs posted on doors and windows, i.e.: store hours, promotions, menus, and social media icons. All of this information is important to the marketing of the business, and if done well can add to the professional look of the storefront and the community. On the other hand, too many signs, or hand written, crooked, outdated and/or faded signs taped to the windows, all detract from the business and add to visual pollution on the street. Add in community posters promoting all the good doings and happenings going on around town...and you’ve got what we call in the design industry, ‘sign creep’. Over time the windows and storefronts become a repository of information, new, old and outdated.
As a Main Street Director, you can provide merchants with non-mandatory guidelines for making their storefronts look better, explaining that less equals more when it comes to signage. Pedestrians usually don’t stop to read a lot of signs, especially if weather is cold or inclement. Simple signs are more effective as pedestrians can quickly absorb the information as they pass by. Suggest to storefront merchants to put certain information in specific locations to train visitors to look for it there. For instance, store hours and website address belong on the door, and community posters should be installed in the bottom right of a display window. Pedestrians willsoon know where to look for this type of information on each storefront. Of course not every façade can accommodate these suggestions due to differing building designs, but many can.
Ideally, all businesses on Main Street should have signs that are tastefully illuminated and on a timer, scheduled to go off after the last restaurant or theatre is closed. (The same goes for window displays.) The idea is to create a safe and vibrant streetscape even after some of the businesses have closed for the day.
Review the Design Guidelines annually. Do you need to add or subtract a category? Change design criteria? Communicate with merchants?
Conduct a sign audit every year. Even with all the checks and balances in place, ‘sign creep’ can and does occur.
Do use few words. Customers will not read a lot. They are bombarded with visual symbols and design elements every second they are on the street. Keeping signs simple is the way to attract attention and impart information. Try using fewer words and more symbols, photos, and graphic images to communicate messages.
Don’t put handwritten signs on storefronts unless it’s a chalkboard menu for a café that changes its menu daily. More often than not, handwritten signs take away from the professional look of a business.
Don’t tape signs to windows. This cheapens the image of the business and often the signs end up misaligned, or the tape stays on the window long after the sign has been removed. Instead, put the signs in acrylic sign holders with suction cups. It creates a more professional look.
Do display your logo at eye level or below for pedestrian traffic, as well as high on the façade for auto-traffic.
Lyn Falk owns Retailworks, Inc., an award-winning retail design firm based in Milwaukee, WI, and “I LOVE That Display!”, a merchandising and display division of Retailworks. For more information, visit www.retailworksinc.com, or, contact Lyn at: lfalk@retailworksinc.com or 800-379-1438. She is also a strategic partner with Redevelopment Resources, www.redevelopment-resources.com, a consulting firm that provides customized solutions for the development and redevelopment of communities.
REV Birmingham and Woodlawn United share how they work to reenergize spaces and places in Birmingham, Alabama, through civic infrastructure projects in the city’s historic commercial corridors.
Learn how this Louisiana town has used an accessibility-first approach to build a welcoming and inclusive community.
Downtown Ruston, Louisiana. Photo by Henry McCoy.
Learn how the Little Five Points neighborhood of Atlanta uses this unique mural program to celebrate Valentine's Day and raise important funding for their work.
Learn how micromobility can increase access, equity, and inclusion in your Main Street with examples from local programs across the network.
This Washington Main Street is encouraging people to brave the rainy weather with their free umbrella share program.
Parking is a challenging problem for many Main Streets. We explored the arguments for and against free parking, and a method for conducting an inventory of parking in your downtown.
Miami, FL © Matt Alaniz
Learn how Bainbridge Island Downtown Association leverages their connection to the ferry to create a walkable and vibrant downtown.
Bainbridge Island, WA © Anna Carson
An innovative artistic project brings new life to the alleyways in Billings, Montana.
Billings, MT © Downtown Billings Alliance
In big cities and small towns, people face increasing danger when navigating communities on foot. As advocates for connected and walkable downtowns, Main Streets have a crucial role to play in increasing pedestrian safety.
Lansing, Michigan © Lansing 5:01
Learn how you can participate in the Thriving Communities program as a capacity builder or how you can receive support from the program.
To celebrate National Parks and Recreation Month, we explored three innovative and interesting parks-based projects and collaborations in Main Street communities.
Waterloo, Iowa, shares advice and lessons learned from their e-scooter program.
Learn how you can harness design principles and strategies to create a cooler, more welcoming downtown.
Main Street America was awarded $5.9 million to support 20 communities in the Main Streets Community of Practice through the Department of Transportation's Thriving Communities Program over the next two years.
The City of Leeds, AL welcomed a new downtown mural over the holidays that has brought a sense of excitement and anticipation for the continuing efforts to focus on the Leeds downtown district.
Leeds, AL © Jeremy Dove
What is more Iowan than turning grain bins into public art? Learn how Main Street Coon Rapids created these beautiful murals to celebrate their downtown.
Coon Rapids, IA © Main Street Coon Rapids
Pollinator gardens are fantastic ways to increase green space, promote sustainability, and educate your community on the local environment.
Crofton, MD © Kerry Kelly
The AARP Community Challenge program gives out quick-action grants to activate public spaces. Meet some of the Main Streets awarded grants through the program this year.
Learn how these outdoor microspaces can contribute to more vibrancy in our public spaces.
Chairman Emeritus Ed McMahon explores the power of place in creating spaces people love.
Boise, ID © christiannafzger
To support Georgia Main Streets throughout the recovery process and position them for long-term sustainability, Main Street America launched the Georgia Main Street Innovation Grant Program, made possible through generous support from The Williams Family Foundation of Georgia.
Thomasville, GA © Thomasville Main Street
Intentional placemaking has had many unexpected benefits for this Alabama town.
Wetumpka, AL © Jenny Sue Stubbs
We heard from organizations across the nation about the incredible impact their markets have had on community engagement, entrepreneur and small business support, and keeping their district vibrant.
Appealing to mobility-challenged shoppers yields benefits beyond the store.
In contrast, the Main Street Program in Laramie, Wyoming, is thriving, having successfully cultivated millions of dollars to help fill these vacant, blighted spaces with permanent structures.
In this article we’ll explore the process of planning, funding, installing, operating, and enjoying music on your Main Street.
In 2016, the North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center partnered with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Department of Interior Architecture (UNCG) to provide design assistance to Main Street communities.
Placemaking is a strategy that Six Corners Association has enthusiastically applied to our community development efforts because of its seamless integration with the Main Street Approach.
How one Wyoming Main Street implemented a free bike share program.
In 2015, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) partnered with the University of Wisconsin–Madison to engage Wisconsin Main Street organizations and farmers markets in the Metrics and Indicators for Impact – Farmers Markets (MIFI-FM) toolkit.
The local Main Street organization, Downtown Milford Inc., is trying to address these shifting demographics by creating a more inclusive sense of community.
This is the story of how a National Endowment for the Arts gathering in DC inspired the leaders of a small town in Appalachia to connect with those in Milwaukee to transform a neglected park.
Main Street communities across the country are no stranger to seeking creative strategies to solve their most nagging issues – vacant buildings, marketing downtown, bolstering retail to name a few.
This article is the second in a series on corridors and the important role they play in Main Street revitalization. The previous article focused on the historic origins of corridors, corridor types, and functions that they serve in our communities.
Façade appearance is a critical aspect of the overall aesthetic appeal and unique character of downtown.
While the Main Street program may not take the lead in corridor enhancements, it can be a vital partner and advocate for improvements in overall community appearance.
Street pole banners preserve the historic character of main streets while fostering community awareness and engagement.
With strong community support, the Library Foundation was able to raise over $1.2 million dollars in private donations.
A key goal of the Atlanta Streetcar is to attract investment to and revitalize the neighborhoods along the streetcar alignment.
