I can kinda sorta understand why these signs disappeared in the 50s and 60s. Modernism pushed them out in favor of the clean and simple approach. Evidently, none of the modernist thinkers figured that starkness and blandness wasn't the way to make people feel welcome.
That was then.
Nowadays, though, I can only scratch my head when it comes to the absence of interesting signage. Why don't businesses care anymore about the image that they put out on the street? I realize that signage is extremely expensive (especially sculpted neon signs), but as someone who works in advertising, I would have to say that a sexy storefront is the best advertisement a business could possibly have. There's only a very small handful of establishments in Winnipeg that have put money (and thought) into their signage over the last few years, and it definitely shows.
Adrian (and Bryan S., too) will likely appreciate this: a photo of that North Point Douglas landmark, Metro Meats at the corner of Euclid and Grove St., 1978.
Nowadays, though, I can only scratch my head when it comes to the absence of interesting signage. Why don't businesses care anymore about the image that they put out on the street? I realize that signage is extremely expensive (especially sculpted neon signs), but as someone who works in advertising, I would have to say that a sexy storefront is the best advertisement a business could possibly have. There's only a very small handful of establishments in Winnipeg that have put money (and thought) into their signage over the last few years, and it definitely shows.
this is true. actually, the only recent example that is coming to mind is 'Rooster' on River and Osborne, they have a beaut of a sign day or night.
I should point out that Metro Meats neighbor's green picket fence (far left) was replaced only recently. I love old fences like these whenever they are found.
and speaking of old fences theres a 100 yr old one made of concreat panels on our st kinda a odd ball but still kinda neat it managed to survive all these yrs