Mellow Mushroom is an Atlanta-based pizza and sandwich chain that, since its mid-1970s founding, has grown to more than 100 locations in 18 states. In addition to a diverse menu (I have yet to find anywhere else that offers jerk chicken as a pizza topping, or a tempeh hoagie) and artwork that cultivates a groovy atmosphere, distinctive signage represents a major component of its branding. Mellow Mushroom sometimes provides enough caché that municipalities will modify their codes to facilitate signage.
Randy Holland, Snyder Signs’ (Johnson City, TN) operations manager, said his company has enjoyed a years-long relationship with Mellow Mushroom as a preferred sign fabricator.
“They give us creative license to create individual sign programs at every location,” Holland said. “We’ve developed a joint creative team to look at each property and examine new opportunities.”
When a new Mellow Mushroom opened in Gatlinburg, TN, the restaurant’s staircase near the front door provided an excellent canvas for a unique stair graphic featuring “Mel,” the chain’s iconic fungal mascot with sleepy eyes and a winsome smirk.
To prep the surface, Snyder Signs thoroughly cleaned the stairs and applied 3M’s Primer 94 to aid media adhesion. Holland and Ted Tubbs carefully laid out the 20-ft.-long Mel graphics using CorelDRAW X5 Graphics Suite, and tiling the graphic pattern so that it flowed flawlessly across the individual risers.
Snyder Signs printed the material using 3M’s Controltac with Comply v3 air-release media, which reduced installation time for an exacting installation within a confined space. Although the material isn’t marketed as a floor-graphic product, Snyder tested it for safety. The shop printed the material on its Mimaki JV3-250SP “baby grand” solvent-ink printer, and prolonged Mel’s invite to patrons by applying 3M’s 8518 glossy overlaminate with a Seal 62 Pro laminator.
“Fabricating stair graphics is definitely a growing trend for our shop,” Holland said. “The owner of another shop in Gatlinburg saw the Mel stair graphics and promptly ordered a similar job for his store.”