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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.

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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.

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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

Filed Under: News and Updates Tagged With: shopping center signs, Waynesboro, Wood Signs

Renaming a Brewery

September 1, 2024 By jalexspringer

The updated front ACM Sign

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+.

Doug making the final attachments.

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

Filed Under: News and Updates

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!

Filed Under: News and Updates Tagged With: barn signs, Wood Signs VA

Using Dimensional Wood Signs-Advantages and Disadvantages

January 12, 2024 By jalexspringer

www.augustasigncompany.com-wood signs-va-virginia

STRATEGIZE WITH WOOD

Using dimensional wood signs as part of your organization’s marketing strategy may be a successful approach of blending the distinctive character of carefully handcrafted custom wood signage with your own distinctive image and brand. If your brand would benefit from the ambiance of natural, stained, or painted dimensional wood signage products carefully designed and finished in Virginia, you may want to consider the advantages and disadvantages of wooden signs.

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THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

If you picture your building or office as a “box”, then thinking outside the box relates to your exterior signage attached to the outside areas of your building or campus. The wooden signs that I manufacture are typically 1.5” thick cedar panels with lettering/logos/emblems carved into the outside face of the boards. They can be fabricated at any size, and sized to fit the area in which they will be attached to the wall or ground-mounted support in the case of free-standing monument and post and panel type signs.

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In the case of wall-mounts, signs can be mounted flush to the wall or can also be hung perpendicular to the wall using scroll brackets. For free-standing signage, the wood signs are typically attached to some type of post system or low-wall of masonry or wood. Sometimes the wood signs are set into recesses in masonry structures for a permanent impression. Sometimes to save cost, flush vinyl graphics can be substituted for recessed or raised graphics (see Claybrook sign, a few snapshots down.)

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As mentioned earlier, the major up-side of exterior wood signs is connecting with customers. If your brand is aligned with “natural”, “earthy”, “down-home”, “old-fashioned”, “high-quality”, “rustic”, or “hand-made” messaging, then wood designs can help promote that overall feel. You may wonder how a wood sign can project both a high-quality and rustic image simultaneously: it depends on the finishing of the end product. Hand-painted and polyurethaned precision carved lettering and branding can produce a nostalgic feeling that signals a high-quality brand in the customer’s mind.

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Consider a quaint New England town with hand-carved wooden signs adorning the picturesque streetscape! A dentist office, a law firm, a gift shop, a bed and breakfast, a book store: they are all inviting you to come in and experience top-notch service and attention. Another advantage to v-carved wood signs is, if utilizing 23 karat gold, they can really catch your eye and draw attention. There aren’t many sign lettering options that surpass the quality of signs with real gold leaf.

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The biggest potential down-side of exterior wood signs, especially in areas south of the Mason-Dixon Line, is exposure to the elements: humidity and UV exposure being the two biggest threats to the longevity of wooden signs in Virginia, where most of my customers operate. The cost of regular maintenance is a definite consideration when planning to purchase a wood branding image. Cleaning the signs each spring and fall can extend the overall impact of your investment and lengthen their effective lifetime, and repainting or re-finishing wood signs on a three to five-year maintenance schedule is recommended. The initial cost of designing and building wood signs is also greater than using alternative signage materials, but the value of visual impact may be higher than other material options.

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INSIDE THE “BOX” APPLICATIONS

Wooden signs are great for outdoor applications, but don’t overlook their suitability for interior signage projects as well! I have not regularly promoted interior usage, but have worked on a few projects where the customer determined the look of the natural wood fit the identity of their product better than other traditional wall lettering options like dimensional metal letters and flush vinyl graphics. A few years ago I worked with Jon Styer, who at the time was the brand administrator for Eastern Mennonite University, to create an interior wall sign for the university’s coffee shop. An awesome graphic designer, Jon was able to blend the natural aura of stained cedar with a clean, clear, glossy acrylic cover that formed the background for the vinyl branding. It was a neat approach that utilized wood, plastic and vinyl lettering. Usually a sign is made of one or the other substrates, but this case blended all three signage materials into a great looking sign that was spot lit from above.

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YOU MAKE THE CALL

If you’re looking for a way to incorporate natural or painted wood signs into your business or organization, please reach out to Mark Hackley, owner, Augusta Sign Company, serving a large geographic area of Central Virginia seeking quality signage products and services. Using wood signage for branding certainly has advantages and disadvantages, but perhaps Mark can help you determine if wood is a good fit for your signage needs. And how much does it cost to go with wood versus less expensive urethane and aluminum composite options? Mark will be happy to meet with you to discuss!

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Contact Mark Hackley, Augusta Sign Company- 540-943-9818; [email protected]

Filed Under: News and Updates Tagged With: Carved Wood Signs, interior signs, Sandblasted Signs, VA, Virginia, Waynesboro, Wood Signs

Gymnasium Wall Banners and Choir Hall Displays: Helping Athletics and Music Departments at Local Private High School

October 24, 2023 By jalexspringer

This project was done in coordination with Jon Styer of At Ease: Design & Consulting, who designed the updated banners for the school’s gymnasium four walls. Augusta Sign Co. provided manufacture and installation of the banners. The project was located at Eastern Mennonite School, Harrisonburg, VA.

The finished wall of banners!

Walking back to the man-lift which was provided by the customer!

Arranging the 4-panel display on a wall with a sloped floor was a challenge!

Part of the project was making maple plywood headers with raised metal letters, and hanging framed pictures.

Filed Under: News and Updates, Uncategorized

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