Stay-at-home-orders are beginning to lift, resulting in many restaurants opening their doors to start the process of serving delicious food again.

It’s not a stretch to say we Californians have missed frequenting our favorite noshing spots from burgers to sushi cravings.

Previously, restaurants only offered pickup and delivery services, but some now are offering indoor seating. However, the social distancing measure that requires them to distance dining tables six feet apart also reduces their seating capacity to about half of what it used to be.

A Fresh Solution to Reduced Seating

Fortunately, many restaurant owners in Ventura County and neighboring areas are getting their patron numbers up by expanding outside seating. 

You may have noticed this accommodation style along sidewalks, streets, and even in cars if you’ve dined out. 

The move makes dining out alfresco, a dining experience rooted in the Italian tradition. Italian locals nourish themselves with delicious food while basking in the fresh air of their natural surroundings, alfresco, “done or eaten in the open air.”

Keep in mind that if you are an owner offering outside dining amenities, patrons will now want to find your restaurant to try it out. They will soon be on the move for the alfresco experience in their area if they haven’t done so already. 

Therefore, you’ll want to greet your eager diners with signage designed in a manner that directs them to your restaurant. In light of that, blade signs are an effective way to attract street and foot traffic. 

Blade Signs in Brief

A blade sign is designed to project out from the façade of a building or storefront pole. Other types are attached to surfaces that are perpendicular to passersby. They are extremely popular in areas where there is plenty of foot traffic, such as downtown storefronts and shopping areas.

Retro Blade Signs of the Fox Theatre

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Blade signs debuted in the fourteenth century, and sign makers started offering more elaborately designed styles in the 1930s. Nostalgic blade signs that most of us are probably familiar with include the old-style neon signs that adorned theatres in the 1930s and 1940s. The historic Fox Theatre in downtown Riverside, now known as the Fox Performing Arts Center, originally had two examples of these classic neon signs at its entryways. 

The Fox Theatre was shuttered until the 1990s when a revitalization effort was started to reopen it. It was renovated in 2010, giving the Theatre a massive facelift. Weighing in at 900-pound, 22-foot each, two replicas of the original hanging signs were installed during the renovation. A decade later, the building that functioned as a vaudeville stage and movie palace in 1929 is still fabulous today. The signs are a big part of the Theatre’s charm. They attract and direct people to the entertainment venue.

The Advantages of Blade Signs

The advantages that blade signs bring to your business can’t be emphasized enough. The right design can:

• Get you noticed – Blade signs operate similarly to way-finding signs, and they pull the eye to look at them for navigation. This feature has your business stand out from the rest in terms of sending street and foot traffic your way. Eye-grabbing signage also entices patrons to peek inside to see what you have “in-store.”

• Add welcome familiarity –Whether for a restaurant or other franchise, renowned brands, and logos stand out to people who appreciate and find comfort in familiar products. An excellent experience (including a unique and memorable sign), translates to excellent word of mouth advertising and repeat business, all from a well-known brand or brand that is new and exciting.

• Be designed in various ways – Custom crafted signs capture the essence and message of your business’s brand. Dave’s Signs takes your input to make this happen and creates your sign in whatever design style, shape, and size. We design, fabricate and install eye-catching blade signage. Styles we recommend include Sandblasted Panel Signs, Box Cabinet Signs, and Aluminum Blade Signs.

Dave’s Signs operates locally throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara, and L.A. Counties. We also provide custom created signage to organizations nationwide. From providing contemporary signs to refurbishing retro neon signs, Dave’s is the premier sign company to turn to for your blade sign needs. We are also the experts in crafting signs that stay in tune with the brand, identity, look, and feel of your business. Call us today for a quote at (805) 641-1387 or contact us online.

On May 26, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that much of California is moving into Phase 3 of re-opening more sectors of the economy. The move slowly eases some of the state’s stay-at-home orders. Businesses such as hair salons, barbershops, and gymnasiums are allowed to re-open, albeit with a new set of safety and health guidelines to follow.

Gov. Newsom’s announcement affects many California counties currently reporting a low number of COVID-19 cases, including Ventura County. However, even with a minimal amount of confirmed coronavirus infections, all businesses re-opening in Ventura County and beyond must make meaningful modifications and have containment plans in place that protect California citizens from the virus’s spread.

Getting Your Business Ready

Part of this attestation process has created an unprecedented demand for safety signage and other physical barrier protections such as sneeze guards. One industry that has served as a model for re-opening in this manner is grocery stores.

For instance, you may have noticed their visual and barrier systems in the form of social distancing signs in the front and inside the store and sneeze guards at checkout lines.

If all goes well, a wide variety of business types in Southern California will be opening their doors to what is pretty much an unknown and untested environment so far. Therefore, if you are one of the fortunate sole proprietors throwing your doors open wide to serve customers gladly, you may be wondering how to get your business ready to open sign wise.

Dave’s Signs, a premier and full-service custom sign company serving Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles counties, along with nationwide businesses, is here to assist you. We have innovative ideas and products that will help business owners get used to the new normal.

Signage for COVID-19 Awareness & Safety

The safety of individuals that set foot in your building is paramount. Therefore, signs that communicate crucial messages about your business and the CDC’s recommendations about the novel coronavirus are the best way to go. Additionally, we provide customized posters and banners that feature vital CDC guidelines while also incorporating your brand’s color scheme and graphics. The following products will make it much easier to serve your customers, employees, and guests in terms of awareness and safety signage.

• Social Distancing Signs: Whether you need decals for the ground or signage with a custom message for the walls, Dave’s Signs has got you covered! Remember: Most areas are required by local regulations to encourage social distancing, and signage makes it much easier to do so.

• Barriers and Sneeze Guards: Grocery stores nationwide have showcased how helpful transparent sneeze guards can be. This is an easy way to help protect the health of your employees and customers. We offer custom-made barriers cut and sized to fit your specific design specifications.

• Safety Signs: Customers and employees need to feel safe inside your business. Constantly changing guidelines require frequent updates to your safety signage, making customized stickers an affordable and attractive option.

• Industry-Specific Signs: Depending on your industry, you may need a wide variety of signs such as “Open for Business,” “Curbside Pickup,” “To-Go Options,” and “Delivery Available.” All of these are available, as are any necessary customizations.

• OSHA Updates: OSHA has updated recommendations for specific industries. To ensure that your employees know how to protect themselves on the job, you can get signage made for your industry and hang it in an easily visible location.

Dave’s Signs specializes in Design, Fabrication, Installation, Service, and Repair. We will help you get ready to open by creating the best in safety and awareness signs. Our signs are visible day and night, and they are also rugged enough to withstand the elements. Let us help you design, create, and install by calling for an Estimate today at (805) 641-1387‬ or reach out to us online.

In the business world, the need to stand out and be visible from afar has led to an innovation and display of creativity that has resulted in distinguished advertisements, billboards, logos, and signs.

From conveying messages to passing motorists to promoting business, signs play an important role in our lives. They play a solid role in the foundations of any business, and they need to make a statement.

One such statement has been the vintage and classical presence of neon signs.

Immortalized by Hollywood’s depiction of night-time Las Vegas, neon signs have been adopted by countless storefronts, from casinos to taco trucks. Author Tom Wolfe once wrote that Las Vegas is “the only town in the world whose skyline is made up neither of buildings, like New York, nor of trees, like Wilbraham, Mass., but signs.”

Visible, vibrant, and lively – the offer a unique way to notify customers of your presence in the night time.

Why Neon Signs Became Less Popular

Neon captured the world’s attention in the 1980’s but fell off the popularity charts in the 2000’s. The once-appealing glaring light of neon signs became a sight too common.

Soon, cheaper alternatives started coming around, like LED lighted signs. While neon signs were hard to replace because of the custom-made nature of the tube, changing an LED only required a change of ready-made bulb.

LEDs consume less energy, they cost less money and offered more variations. Businesses took no time switching allegiances to these types of signs.

This caused a decline in the demand for neon signs, as well as, the replacement of neon signs from major commercial hubs.

The Resurgence Of Neon Signs

As with neon signs, LED’s are also facing the paradox of prevalence. In a sea of LED signs a well-designed neon signs standout.

The craft and handmade aspect of the signs bring a certain aesthetic with them that helps brands distinguish themselves. The bright electrifying (literally) light of the sign acts as a magnet in the bustling nightlife that indulges the commercial streets of cities.

A reminder of old times, New Yorkers have campaigned for a neon sign not to be replaced in an unprecedented act of nostalgia.

Neon signs require special expertise, something we at Dave Signs are extremely capable of providing. Give us a call at (805) 641-1387, or reach out to us online and our team of experts will guide you through the process. We provide high-quality neon signs tailored to meet your demands.

Even though a great number of businesses are moving towards the internet, many still rely solely on traditional marketing. A business sign is perhaps the oldest and foremost piece of marketing material. It helps customers know where you are and what you are.

But what good is a sign if it’s not visible? Making your business sign visible to potential customers is just as important as creating a compelling and unique sign. A sign should also be ideally placed and must be visible under certain conditions.

Illuminated signs are the best way to give your storefront a “pop.” It’s flashy – literally – but fulfills the purpose of providing visibility during the night and under certain weather conditions.

Here are some points to consider when choosing between different illumination signs.

LED or Neon: Which One Is Better?

On the surface, both LED and Neon signs are illuminated signs. They both “glow.” But, they are, in fact, different in construction and how they achieve their luminance.

Although there are multiple ways to light a sign-up, LED-based signs are the most widely used option. They are cheaper, consume less power than traditional fluorescent bulbs, and go with just about any type of signage.

Neon signs, on the other hand, are produced by gasses trapped in the sign. Electricity passing through excites the gas molecules, causing them to produce luminance. It takes special expertise to craft neon signs. But, over the years, LEDs have replaced neon signs because they are cheaper to maintain, and are eco-friendly.

However, neon signs are resurfacing as a representation of the vintage era. Just visit Las Vegas – you’ll see hundreds of them.

LEDs are powerful and cost-effective, and are used to light all types of signage, such as Chanel Letters and lower cost lightbox.

It comes down to your preference. LED illumination is powerful enough to provide visibility under several conditions, but neon signs may serve better if you’re seeking to pair with a theme. From lightboxes to high-end channel letter and neon signs, Dave Signs delivers all types of illuminated signs.

Give us a call, or reach out to us online and our team of experts will help you determine which type of illumination is best suited for your business.

Signs are expressions of businesses. They are the first source of information customers use to gain insight about a business. A sign doesn’t say much, but it provides a visual attraction to potential customers.

Everything from the font to the choice of color plays a part in getting your message across to your target market. It not only decorates the building but also helps create an impression. Many brick and mortar businesses rely on outdoor signs to catch people’s attention.

Creating your first custom outdoor business design could be difficult. You may not be aware of the many types of signs that exist, or which of them are best suited for your business.

To help you, here are three custom outdoor designs to consider.

Illuminated Signs

We have all seen glowing signs that light up during the night – it adds a vibrant flavor to your outdoor business sign.

Illuminated signs light up during the night, and stay off during the day, which make them a cheaper alternative to backlit signs. However, they require maintenance. LEDs are cheaper than traditional bulbs, but they do cost money. Therefore, it is recommended to find sign makers who provide high-quality solutions.

Monument Signs

These signs carry a low profile. They get installed on the ground at entrances. Materials used to build monument signs range from brick, steel, concrete, wood, or acrylic.

Ideal installation venues include entrances of apartments, business complexes, parks, and more. It may contain a list of tenants/businesses that reside in the complex. For example, a monument sign for a hospital that lists all the facilities available in the building.

Blade Signs

Ever walked down a sidewalk and saw a sign extending from a wall? That’s a blade sign. In a nutshell, blade signs take up relatively less space. They’re installed perpendicular to the flow of traffic on sidewalks to help pedestrians locate a business. It is ideal for shops in malls and restaurants in a public space with a lot of other restaurants.

Need help designing custom outdoor business signs? Give Dave’s Signs a call at ‭(805) 641-1387 ‬or get in touch with us online. Our team of experts will respond to your needs.