jalexspringer, Author at Augusta Sign Company

Helping Waynesboro Find The Cook Colonnade

January 24, 2025 By jalexspringer

HISTORIC HERITAGE

There were 23,182 people considered Waynesboroites in 2024. You see, when I am not making signs or playing music out somewhere, or hanging around doing fun things with my wife Jennifer and dog Cooper, I am hand-writing the Bible. Pretty much on a daily basis I am writing about the Reubenites, or the Danites or the Gileadites, or the Perizzites, etc., but today I get to feature a story about the Waynesboroites! Waynesboro, Virginia was officially recognized as a town in 1801, and incorporated in 1834. However, the area’s history dates back to 1739. That is about the same time the early settlers began settling the area where my sign shop is located over at Arbor Hill.

www.augustasigncompany.com-waynesboro-va-colonial-wood-signs — *The Old Sign on Broad Street Prior to Rehab.*

LOTS OF TOURISTS

Direct visitor spending for Waynesboro reached $77.8 million last year! That is a lot of dough!! I am not exactly sure how many annual tourists it takes to spend that kind of money, but several meals, a hotel or bed and breakfast, and a tank of gas would cost at least $200-300 per visitor meaning there could be an average of 5,000 strangers in town each week looking around, trying to find things to do.

By building a set of brand new signs for a few long-time customers last fall, (Cook Realtors, Cross Stitch Station, South River Watershed Coalition, and Waynesboro Music), I hope I was able to help many of those thousands of visitors and residents alike find the cool shops located at the Hamilton-Cook Colonnade, a local specialty shopping center located at 520 West Broad Street in Waynesboro, Virginia,(established way back in 1910, when my late grandmas were age 21 and age 7).

www.augustasigncompany.com-waynesboro-va-crimora-tree-street-signs-540-943-9818 — *Mark working on building the signs in his workshop in Staunton, VA*

ROB HAD A DREAM

It all started when Rob Seal, the owner of Waynesboro Music located at the Colonnade, reached out for an estimate on making a free-standing sign for the back entrance to the center off Lumos Plaza. Rob thought it would be very cool to have a new sign at the back so Appalachian Trail hikers wandering through town could see the advertising signs for the stores in case they were interested in those kinds of things. Rob had spent some time investigating Downtown Redevelopment Grants and found out that the shopping center was eligible for financial help from the City of Waynesboro for sign and landscaping upgrades.

www.augustasigncompany.com-waynesboro-va-22980-shopping center signs — *Installing the new sign that was paid for with Downtown Redevelopment Grant funding.*

CHOOSING THE BEST MATERIAL FOR THE JOB

I met with the owner of the complex, Jim Cook, about what type of materials he wanted to use for the new signage. After some discussion, we determined that painted aluminum signage was the best investment for durability and ability to make changes and updates through the years. So I was able to come up with conceptual drawings and pricing for the new sign at the back, and Jim requested that while I was doing it I should also give a quote and design to update the large tenant sign out front on Broad Street.

www.augustasigncompany.com-aluminum signage-22980-24401 — *The finished aluminum sign with updated landscaping.*

STEP RIGHT UP AND SEE THE COOL SHOPPES AT THE HISTORIC COOK COLONNADE!!

After a few back and forth communications, we settled on a design and cost, and Rob was able to secure some funding for Jim! Wouldn’t it be great if all commercial landlords could harness the inititiative of tenants like Rob Seal? Once the deposit was received, I applied for the permits needed from the city and began ordering materials for the project. At this particular time there was a blip in the supply chain for aluminum and it took a little longer than the usual 6-8 weeks to get the posts and framing materials in; but once everything was in, it only took a week or two to complete the new signs.

www.augustasigncompany.com-cook-colonnade-signage — *The updated tenant sign on Broad Street still waiting for the two hand-turned wooden spindles like before.*

As I get older, I opt not to do some of the high installation work that I used to do when I was younger. Jim was able to find a sub-contractor for the rebuild of the wooden sign and a sub for the background painting for the large sign. I only provided the design and manufacture of the individual ACM panels with cut vinyl graphics. At this time, Jim is still waiting on the two decorative colonial wooden spindles for the sides. The Lumos Boulevard sign was up just in time to catch the usual 20,000 visitors at the Waynesboro Fall Foliage Festival in October, 2024. I hope they will do a good job in helping many people find these great small businesses over many years to come. As a small business myself serving Waynesboro, Staunton, and Augusta County, I thoroughly enjoy building signs that can help others succeed in business.

Mark Hackley is owner/operator of Augusta Sign Company, 1619 Middlebrook Road, Staunton, VA

540-943-9818

If you liked this article, here are a few more you may like too:

Branding a Non-Profit

Renaming a Brewery

I’ve Been Working On The Railroad

Signage for The Barns at Mattaponi Springs

Branding a Non-Profit, Part 2

January 12, 2025 By jalexspringer

LONG-TIME CUSTOMER

I had worked with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank on many signage projects in the past, but nothing was quite as ambitious as this one! It started back in the late summer/early fall when we were contracted to make and install window and wall graphics in the main entry foyer. The multi-phase sign project is being coordinated by my long-time customer, Jon Styer, who recently started up his own private graphic design firm, AtEase Design and Consulting. Les Sinclair, the Food Bank communications manager helped coordinate everything between Augusta Signs and AtEase. The first phase included entry and lobby signage, volunteer directions, and large interior warehouse wall graphics; this second phase had us making several large interior warehouse wall murals which were interesting indeed. Jon’s wife, Rhoda Miller, drew the art for the murals. She is amazing!!

WORK OVER HOLIDAY BREAK

The Food Bank Network had a big holiday break coming up and wanted us to use that time for the installation to keep us out of the way of all the Food Bank operations. The Food Bank distributes a whole lot of food to agencies across a broad region of Virginia with service brancehs in Verona, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, and Winchester. It is pretty amazing how much geography they cover, and most importantly how many people in need they serve on an annual basis. My helper Doug and I were able to work over the Christmas break to help out with logistics of it all. Since we use rolling scaffold for the wall murals, it takes up a lot of floor space, and we definitely didn’t want to disrupt the operations of the Food Bank, especially over the rough winter we were having when access to donated food is extremely important for some people in our area.

EXPECTED GLITCHES OVERCOME

Once the order was officially placed, I worked closely with Jon and my digital print supplier to make all the 3M prints required for the job. I was able to cut all the vinyl letters on my plotter at the shop. The wall graphics were unique in that the main mural backgrounds were applied separately from the lettering. That way we had more control over where the lettering would be placed. Jon helped us make sure we situated the graphics where they should go according to his drawings. But, as in every good project, there’s always a glitch. For the wall letters at the selfie wall we used my height to place the main lettering which Les wanted to be visible in their press meetings in the warehouse area. Unfortunately I am a little taller than average and the lettering ended up being a smidge higher than the customer expected. When Phase 3 is installed, I pledged to cut new letters for that area and replace them at no extra cost. One of the beauties of using 3M material is it makes things easier when removal is needed. Although I have not removed vinyl from vinyl, I believe the 3M product should lift off quite well when the time comes to replace the graphics.

*ACM wall panel with stand-offs like in the entrance lobby.*

DIRECTING VOLUNTEERS

The project included wayfinding graphics to help orient new volunteers. All through the passage from entry to the warehouse area volunteer directions were clearly marked.

*Volunteer-friendly signage system by Jon Styer.*

All in all it was a neat project, but only the second part of a three phase sign system. So stay tuned for more pictures as things are completed.

Mark Hackley owns Augusta Sign Company, Staunton, VA. 540-943-9818

*Doug standing by the large warehouse wall graphic over 50 feet long and about 18′ high*!

Branding a Non-Profit

October 2, 2024 By jalexspringer

LONG-TIME CUSTOMER

I had worked with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank on many signage projects in the past, but nothing was quite as ambitious as this one! I was installing some door name signs at the Food Bank’s Charlottesville, Virginia branch and just happened to meet Les Sinclair, their communications manager. Les was looking for a firm capable of designing signage and graphics to help brand their headquarters building in Verona, Virginia. It just so happened that my point of contact with Eastern Mennonite, Brand Manager Jon Styer, had recently set up his own private consulting business, At Ease Design and Consulting, so I referred Les to call Jon. A few months later I received a call from Jon saying that he was selected for the project and that he wanted to use me as the sign manufacturer/installer! It was planned out as a two-phase job: The first phase included entry and lobby signage, volunteer directions, and large interior warehouse wall graphics; the second phase included several large exterior warehouse wall signs.

BIG MEETING PLANNED

The Food Bank Network had a big meeting planned in Verona where all four branches of the organization would converge on September 20th. It would be a morale-building meeting and they really wanted us to have the new branding completed by the meeting date if possible. Also because of the heavy foot traffic during normal work hours, the Food Bank requested that we work in the evenings. This arrangement was great since I had many other projects going on that I could tend to during the day.

*The lobby wall before applying the gloss vinyl letters.*

EXPECTED GLITCHES OVERCOME

Once the order was officially placed for the first part of Phase 1, I worked with Jon and my digital print supplier to make all the 3M prints required for the job. I was able to cut all the cut vinyl letters on my plotter at the shop. The wall graphics were unique in that the main mural backgrounds were laminated with a satin overlay while the lettering had a gloss finish. Printing the background and lettering separately made it easier to line up things in the field. Jon inspected all the prints prior to installation and we found a few items that needed reprinting. Sometimes the art from the design software we use isn’t read exactly the same by the printer’s rip software making things come out a little differently than expected. Changing the file type corrected the issues we had on a few prints.

*Three of four ACM wall panels with stand-offs in the entrance lobby.*

A WELCOMING MESSAGE

The project included a welcome wall that had “Welcome” written across the main wall in various languages. Over by the elevator, we installed a logo panel and we hung three stacked wall panels to the right of the receptionist area. At the main entrance we spanned three storefront glass windows with an important message, “Everyone Should Have Enough to Eat”. The graphics on the top were made from 3M Controltac vinyl material and the bottom “mountain” portion was made from perforated vinyl so people could see out from the inside of the lobby area.

*The exterior window graphics utilized two different vinyl products.*

All in all it was a neat project, but only the first part of a large undertaking. So stay tuned for more pictures as things are completed.

Mark Hackley owns Augusta Sign Company, Staunton, VA. 540-943-9818

*Mark standing by the last plaque installed. It was late at night and you can see it in his eyes!*

Renaming a Brewery

September 1, 2024 By jalexspringer

MUSIC AND SIGNS…ONE ARTIST, TWO MEDIUMS

As a part-time musician who gigs around with a few bands, I had played some music at the Pro Re Nata Brewery in Crozet before. It was a huge venue and sometimes we’d play outside on a stage area they made near the Rt. 250 side of the property, and sometimes we’d play on a nice stage they built inside. I guess it depended on the time of year and the weather. It was several years ago and I remember my wife and her dad and another friend came out to listen and eat some dinner. I recollect doing a pretty good job on the famous Urban Cowboy soundtrack song that was made popular in the 1980’s by Johnny Lee called “Lookin’ for Love”. I even got back up support from aspiring Nashville country artist from the Charlottesville area, Tommy Wood!

*The updated sign over the main entrance doors.*

THEN AND NOW

Fast forward several years to the present and I would be doing a sign project for this same restaurant now expanding to the Staunton area. Referred by the previous owner of the property who I had made signs for originally, I received a call from the new owner who had just bought him out; and he needed a name change before the grand re-opening a few months out.

*The Updated Fabricated Aluminum Wall Letters.*

EASY TO SWITCH BRANDS / REPURPOSING OLD ONES

The cool thing about this project was I could use the original Aluminum Composite Material (ACM) wall panels and just change out the 3M Vinyl Graphics. I could also use most of the existing fabricated aluminum wall letters to spell the new name. I just had to order a few new letters and a plus sign. All this meant a big savings on initial signage costs for the new owner and a simplified installation for me. Since all the holes and hardware for the wall signs were existing, I only had to go over to the site and remove the signs, take to the shop to reface, then take them back and hang them back up in the same holes! Easy Peasy!

BIRD POOP AND BIRDS NESTS HINDERED THE PROJECT

The wall letters would be a little trickier. I would have to remove all the letters, transport them to my shop, clean them, then make a few new letters and reorganize the letters to make the new name. I think cleaning off the bird poop from those fabricated letters was the hardest part of the project! Also, as I was removing the letters from the wall I discovered a nest of baby birds in one of the letters. It was a little sad. Since it was a super hot day, I had a feeling those poor babies wouldn’t survive transplanting them to a bush nearby. I can only hope that the parents of those baby birds were able to find them in time. Deep down, I really don’t want to know what happened as I can only imagine they didn’t survive for long out there in their new unprotected environment. I think I’ll leave wildlife management concerns to the pros and stick with corporate branding projects!!

TWO-MAN INSTALLATION

My friend Doug helped me with the installation as the two wall sign panels were bulky and quite heavy to lift up to where they needed to go. The wall letters were easy to install solo. That is the way I had originally installed the wall letters for Skipping Rock. However, since Doug was there, we handled it as a duo. A week or two after the final installation was complete one of the wall letters was blown off its mounting channel during a nasty thunderstorm that rolled through our region. Trees were uprooted, and power lines were down everywhere. I guess it was fortunate that only one letter was damaged. The letters have chemically welded brackets that attach the letter to the mounting channel, and the mounting channels are fastened to the corrugated metal wall with stainless steel screws. The extreme winds from the storm were strong enough to shear a letter from its bottom brackets, leaving it somewhat dangling on the wall.

*Laying out the new arrangement of letters on the shop floor.*

GOAL ACHIEVED

There was still over a month until the grand opening, so there was plenty of time to have a new letter made up with new brackets. Once the new letter was ready, I went back and finished the job, again. As they say, a signmaker’s job is never finished! It’s nice to have a cool music venue just around the block now! If you’d like to visit a brand new brewery near Staunton, VA, come out and visit PRN+.

Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company serving Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County, and practically just about anywhere across the Commonwealth of Virginia!

Signage for The Barns at Mattaponi Springs

April 22, 2024 By jalexspringer

You’d figure since I am very interested in American Indian mounds all across the country, I’d be involved with a place named after a local tribe. I even had lunch with the chief of their tribe and reservation back in the 1990’s!

I have been making custom carved cedar signs for The Golf Club at Mattaponi Springs and The Barns at Mattaponi Springs, in Ruther Glen, Virginia, since 2021. They had noticed my carved signs at the Blue Ridge Tunnel on Afton Mountain and then contracted me for theirs! Over the years I have provided a large sign for their barns complex, a really cool and upscale wedding venue; several entrance signs for their world class golf course; and smaller signs for their quaint cabins and cottages.

The signs are of simple design, usually 2 posts with one or two cross beams that hold the carved cedar panels. The panels are dressed with 5/8″ square cedar trim. All the natural wood is stained with a semi-transparent stain, and the carved letters are carefully primed and painted with black sign enamel. The signs also have decorative metal plates also painted black.

I found that using a paint mask stencil for lettering the sign makes things go a lot faster and the letters are perfect! I am able to cut the stencils on my in-house vinyl cutter and I use Ronan brand sign enamel for the paint, which is very opaque and durable. The cedar trim pieces provide an interesting touch, adding depth and shadows to the signage.

I am currently working on two large signs for the cottages area. If you have a need for a great place to play a round of golf or need a neat spot for a wedding, you should definitely take a trip to their complex just several miles northeast of Kings Dominion. They even have a picturesque lake on the property.

Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company. Call: 540-943-9818!