American Sign Museum Gets New Sign

The American Sign Museum (ASM, Cincinnati) has a new double-pole sign topped by a genie and an LED-illuminated flex-face cabinet, according to our sources at the ASM.

Atlantic Sign (Cincinnati) designed the 6 ft., 4 in., by 16 ft. flex-face cabinet around ASM’s specs. The sign and poles were also installed by Atlantic Sign, though the the sign is not lit yet as electricity still needs to be run to it.

The sign stands about 45 ft. high and can be seen from neighboring Colerain Ave. and Spring Grove Ave., and possibly from I-75, according to Tod Swormstedt, ASM’s founder. It was important the sign stand that tall in order to be seen from all sides, but getting that done wasn’t easy, he says.

Photo by Ruby Bachemin

Locating the sign where it is took a lot of planning as the ASM doesn’t own that property. The setback is less than it should be and variances had to be obtained for the height and size. “But the city worked with us because we’re the Sign Museum and we need a sign,” Swormstedt says.

The genie atop the poles and holding the cabinet aloft is a deliberate branding choice, and is the ASM’s second genie in use — the first standing over the entrance. This one was “hidden” in storage, Swormstedt says. Brushworks (Cleves, OH) owner Tim McComas patched the fiberglass and repainted the genie in bright colors.

One-time Carpeteria genies, packed up for shipment from California to the ASM.

The genies were originally used by Carpeteria stores in California. Once discontinued, sign company Donco & Sons (Anaheim, CA) took down all the genies and donated a couple to the Museum.

For more information, visit americansignmuseum.org.