I Saw The Sign...

Because my very essence is geared toward the melancholy (especially when it comes to the passage of time), I literally can't stop myself from checking the blog archives to see what we were doing just about this time four years ago as we approached our opening day on April 17, 2014.  (Which, as a side note, is a solid benefit to sharing your life on the Internet.  I can always tell you what we were doing at any given time in PJP history.  Now that we are maturing somewhat, I can even easily identify our biggest mistakes...)

And just about this time four years ago, we were having all sorts of indecision about our outdoor signage.  Looking back on it, I've learned that the majority of businesses sign a lease and then immediately have a professional sign put up so people know what is coming to the space.  I didn't really think about that then.  So that we were 14 days from opening and having an initial conversation about a sign is actually ridiculous, right?  Here's what is even more ridiculous...we totally couldn't even afford a sign.  And as it turns out, we would actually open our store and be without a sign for the next several months until we could scrap together some cash.  GOODNESS, entrepreneurship is such a tenuous game and I'm so happy I was too naive to realize that in our earliest stages.

By the fall of 2014, we had our current sign installed.  I'm not certain, but I think it was $4,000 or so and we were smitten kittens for the artistic vibe of the metal sign.

But honestly, we've wondered to this day if we made the right decision.  On the upside, we love the artistic and distressed vibe of this sign...though we've wondered if hanging inside the shop would make it all the better.  On the negative side, this sign doesn't light up (it was promised originally that it would, but then it never did).  Also, MAKE IT STOP with the people who stop by asking if we sell jeans.  Not even kidding you right now.

By comparison, here is the proposed signage quote that we received four years ago today.

IF we were to expand, would this signage be the smarter way to go?  Even if we stay in our same 1,050 square feet, is it time to think about bringing fancy sign in as decor and going with standard signage outside?  On the pros list for this sign, there is more visibility from Nifong AND it lights up (a considerable bonus when the days are short in the winter and people are looking for our storefront).

On the downside, I suffer from the terrible inability to change things mid-course lest I bring bad karma to myself AND we've had the current sign for four years AND things seem to be going well, so why would we tempt fate?  Also, I would bet that birds try to nest in the "P" and both "G"s and Jeanne would come up with some crazy thing like we should hide garlic in the letters to stop the birds, which makes no sense but would be an interesting story to share.  Or the landlord would ask for triple nets from the birds because maintenance of the common areas isn't free, you know.

Also those people that stop in to ask if we are a jeans store?  They usually buy pie, so...