They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression; clothes create that impression for people, and signs do so for businesses (especially small ones). Ultra-stylish Austin, TX has become a desirable address for musicians, computer programmers, entrepreneurs and others who buck garden-variety desk jobs. And, in such a trendy place, South Congress Ave. houses numerous chic destinations. During the 1960s and 1970s, South Congress became one of Austin’s major gathering places for musicians and artists. However, by the 1980s, the expansion of I-35 around town triggered a heavy decrease in vehicle traffic, and the neighborhood fell into disrepair.
However, South Congress’ rebirth began in the 1990s when forward-thinking retailers, attracted by cheap rent and historic architecture, opened kitschy boutiques along the thoroughfare. Soon, Austin hipsters began flocking there, and the neighborhood was reborn. Today, if you want to buy unconventional goods that best embody the local wish to “Keep Austin Weird”, South Congress is the place (personally, I’ve bought Christmas ornaments and other knickknacks at several consignment stores along South Congress, and had a blast doing so).
If a shop owner wants to make a splash in such a hypercompetitive marketplace, quality signage is required. Thanks to signage fabricated by San Marcos, TX’s Blackout Sign, United Apparel Liquidators grabs the eyes (and imagination) of fashionistas on a budget. The roof-mounted “SoCo” exposed-neon channelletters pay homage to the neighborhood.
The hanger logo comprises spot-welded, 22-gauge steel treated with a rusty-patina finish, and reverse-mounted channel letters with surface-mounted neon that “floats” inside the hanger. The “UAL” directional signs were designed to be read in either direction because they’re installed at 45° angles. They’re fabricated with spot-welded steel, and surface-mounted chaser bulbs. The top of the return was notched with a runoff notcher and left in as a detail.
Kirk Tunningsley, owner of Big Dog Neon (Lockhart, TX), fabricated the exposed-neon tubing.