An Interview with the Society for Commercial Archeology

Sea Shell Motel Sign, Wildwood, New Jersey

A few days ago we posted my interview with Danielle Kelly from The Neon Museum in Las Vegas. During the interview she mentioned that I must reach out to the Society for Commercial Archeology. She said if you love the older, lesser know signs and buildings of America’s roadsides and are interested in helping preserve them, those are the guys to talk to. So I did just that and they didn’t disappoint.

When I spoke to Ralph Wilcox, the Society for Commercial Archeology’s secretary, I envisioned this Indiana Jones-esque group of individuals combing through dilapidated commercial buildings in search of relics from the past. OK, so I over romanticized a little bit, but in truth the SCA is the largest national organization devoted to the buildings, artifacts, structures, signs, and symbols of the 20th-century commercial landscape. continue reading…

Signs.com’s Guide to Landing a Fabulous Marketing Job

So you’re getting ready to graduate with that English, Marketing or Business degree and you really, really, really want a marketing job. You and thousands of other freshly-minted graduates. What can you do to get the job when the competition is steep and the economy is still struggling to recover? Read our guide to landing a fabulous marketing job and you’ll be well on your way. continue reading…

Success Stories: Beehive Cheese

Beehive Cheese Co.

I recently visited Beehive Cheese, a small company that creates artisan cheese in Uintah, Utah, about 30 minutes North of Salt Lake City. I spoke to Katie Johnson, marketing director for the company, and Pat Ford, one of the owners about how Beehive Cheese got its start.

Success Stories: The King’s English Bookstore

King'sEnglish

Betsy Burton opened The King’s English Bookstore in 1977, with a business partner and just a few thousand dollars in start-up money. Now, more than 30 years later, the bookshop is a vibrant, vital part of the Salt Lake City community. I sat down with Betsy a few weeks ago to ask her about running an independent bookshop during this time of big bookstore chains.

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Small Business Success Stories: Monet Medical

Courtesy: Monet Medical

Each year, the U.S. Small Business Administration honors entrepreneurs from all over the country. One exceptional individual is chosen from each state to receive an award and special recognition during Small Business Week in Washington, DC. In 2011, Andrew Caprio, owner of Monet Medical, was chosen as the Utah Small Business Person of the Year. I met with Mr. Caprio last week to talk with him about his business success. He shared his story with me, and told me about the three rules he set for himself early on.

Pandora at City Creek: An Insiders Perspective

Pandora

This week I had the pleasure of taking in the new City Creek Center development in Salt Lake City (read my review here). I had a couple goals in mind, but mainly I wanted to see how a brand new mall was utilizing signage in its various forms. As I mentioned in my review, City Creek did not disappoint. But I also wanted to get some perspectives from store owners, managers and sales associates to get their thoughts on the project and how they planned to market their stores. Initially I wanted a few quotes for this afternoon’s post, but after having the privilege of talking with Randy Castleman, I knew that I had to share our entire conversation.