During my tenure as an ST editor, I’ve adopted the habit of taking photos of signage on virtually every business or pleasure trip (my wife politely, but firmly, insisted that I not take such photos on our honeymoon, so I complied). During my trip to San Diego in late my for the Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) Conference in San Diego, I was disappointed by the chilly, overcast weather. However, I was very pleased by the abundance of the unique signage in the Gaslamp Quarter, the entertainment and business district that’s catalyzed downtown San Diego’s revitalization.
As noted in entertainment-district article in ST’s June issue, the Quarter imposes sign codes that favor a retro look – incandescent and neon illumination are favored, and electronic message centers are noticeably absent. Even with these restrictions, the signage milieu within the Quarter underscores its diversity of restaurants, bars and other enterprises.