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Weller Woods Signage and Why I’m Liking the Ever-Increasing Demand for Trail Signs

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TRAIL BOSS

I would say Augusta Sign Company has become an accomplished trail sign designer and manufacturer over the years. It has been six years since I completed the new signage for the Blue Ridge Tunnel rail trail in Afton, Virginia, and since that time I have logged several other interesting trail sign projects in my production diary.

HAPPY TRAILS

First it was the “Blue Ridge Tunnel” in Afton County with carved cedar and aluminum signage sprawling across two Virginia counties, Nelson County and Augusta County. Next came a PVC Sign System for “Meadow Walk” in the City of Waynesboro that utilized low-maintenance PVC plastic posts with ACM graphics panels versus higher-maintenance painted/stained wood products. Then came the trail signage for “Weaver Loop” in Harrisonburg, whose design we replicated most recently at the “Weller Woods” nature trail for Bessie Weller Elementary School in Staunton. Since I have now completed trail signs in Nelson County, Augusta County, the City of Waynesboro, the City of Harrisonburg, and the City of Staunton, I believe I could be considered a local trail sign expert!

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TRAIL MIX

There are so many applications for quality trail signs. Golf courses, cemeteries, parks and recreation departments, the National Park Service, retirement centers, colleges and universities, botanical gardens, public and private schools, museums, hospitals, and many other oranizations can use trail signs. I am hoping to design and build at least one or two trail sign systems a year going forward, because I thoroughly enjoy working with customers, graphic designers, and installation subcontractors to make a dream come true out there in the great outdoors.

PINNING THE TRAIL ON THE DESIGNER

For the tunnel trail project I worked from preliminary design drawings provided by Woolpert, Inc. This particular project featured two large entrance signs, two large trailhead signs, five or six interpretive signs and miscellaneous traffic and directional signs at the parking lots and park perimeter fencing. For the “Meadow Walk” system at Waynesboro Seventh-day Adventist Church, I worked with the church board to come up with the trail signage design which included a main trail identification sign with map, and about a dozen interpretive signs and as many bluebird house posts looping all around the trail. The general design for the “Weaver Loop” signage was provided by At Ease Design and Consulting. Most recently, the graphic design work for the “Weller Woods” project was provided by Chad Pelton Design, with interesting watercolor illustrations by Betty Gatewood.

Above is a photo of artist, Betty Gatewood, and Briana Hersch, Outdoor Learning Instructor, Staunton Public Schools, with Mark Hackley, President of Augusta Sign Company on installation day!

TRAIL SIGNAGE BECOMING ROUTINE

Making trail signs in the shop has become a routine task. It is usually quite easy to fit a batch of signs in the large workshop space. The construction is usually conducted both inside and outside the shop, depending on the weather and other projects in queue. Timbers from Virginia Frame Builders and Supply in Fishersville have proven to be a trustworthy source as tested over time. Paints and stains from Clover Paint in Waynesboro are the top choice for long-lasting finishes and the owner at Clover saves each mix by project name for easy touch up and mainteneance in years to come.

A photo of the holes along the trail waiting to accept the new signage.

RIDING OFF INTO THE SUNSET SMILING

The best part about all my many custom sign projects is all the happy endings. Seeing all the families using my signs as online backdrops for selfies and family snapshots up at the Blue Ridge Tunnel trail has really put a warm smile on my face years after the signs were planted in their concrete footers. The happy looks on people’s faces as they pass the new trail signs for the first time makes it all worth the effort! But when nature artist Betty Gatewood began to cry tears of joy when first seeing her work along the Weller Woods trail this spring, well, that was the icing on the cake for me! I think I’ll have my hand in trail signs for a good long while. It is a very rewarding thing to be a part of.

Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company, serving Staunton, Waynesboro, Harrisonburg, and other places nearby. He can be reached at 540-943-9818.

How I Have Adapted to Making and Installing Signs During the Winter Months in Virginia

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COLD SHOULDER

Cold shoulders of roads, frozen ice around bases of signs, worksites difficult to access, brutally cold winds and temperatures, hazardous driving conditions for deliveries…all these things and more make winter a hard time for many sign shops around Staunton, Virginia, and for that matter, across the Shenandoah Valley. Yesterday, I took advantage of a day when temperatures rose above the freezing point for the first time in many weeks, and installed two signs; one in Augusta County and one in the City of Staunton.

PLAYING IT SAFE

Trying to safely place a step ladder on solid ice can be a big challenge! Once I had my ladder secured, I was able to lift, hold, and fasten two printed ACM panels to a pair of existing PVC posts for a new customer who operates an appraisal business nearby. I made the custom 6MM thick Aluminum Composite Material (ACM) signs in my shop near Middlebrook. Taking the supplied vector artwork from the customer, I was able to digitally print the high-performance 3M vinyl and overlay it onto the ACM.

COLD INSIDE AND OUT

Not only are the temperatures cold outdoors, but they are equally chilly inside my small workshop. As I prepared and applied the 3M laminate to the ACM on the shop tables, I was careful to heat up the material to prevent any unwanted cracking as I squeegied out the air bubbles produced during normal application. The thing I like most about the 3M vinyl product is the way it goes down. When temperatures are normal out in the shop, the vinyl films are applied effortlessly without any application fluid or heat guns needed. But in the cold conditions, I have to be extra careful that things are working out as they should.

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While I was applying the graphics to the ACM, a fresh coat of paint was drying on a custom wood sign for a local law firm. The attorney’s office administrator had called me to update the names of the attorneys there, and renovate the wooden sign that was installed at a historic Staunton property. Due to the temperatures, the drying time took a little longer than normal.

Once the paint dried, the new metal sign was inserted with the updated names, and I loaded up the delivery truck to conduct the two installations out in the cold, cold world. The roads had been reasonably clear for a few weeks, but parking was always a concern, as was walking around on the slippery walks and roadways. I successfully installed the signs, cleaned everything off, then gratefully stopped by the local McDonald’s drive-thru for a nice cup of hot chocolate. A great way to end a cold and icy day of sign installations in the Shenandoah Valley!

THANK YOU LORD

“Dear Lord, thanks for all my projects today and all those currently in my sales funnel, but if it be Your will, please bring the warmer weather and melt all this snow,” I prayed as I left the fast-food establishment. Just then I looked over to my right to see a plump young robin in a patch of brown grass between some huge piles of snow. “Thank you Lord for giving me hope,” I whispered, knowing spring was just around the corner!

Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company, Serving Staunton and Waynesboro, VA

540-943-9818

Why I Chose to Run a One-Man Sign Business — And Why That Matters to My Clients

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SMALL IS OK WITH ME AND MY CLIENTS

When I started my sign business, I made a deliberate choice to keep it small. Not because I couldn’t grow it bigger—but because I believe there’s real value in doing the work myself, from start to finish. In a world of large companies, multiple departments, and endless handoffs, I wanted to offer something different: personal service, accountability, and craftsmanship you can actually see.

CRAFTSMAN, SALES REP, AND COMPANY PRESIDENT ALL-IN-ONE

When you work with a one-man sign business, you’re working directly with the person who will design your sign, build it, and install it. There’s no sales rep translating your ideas, no project manager passing notes along, and no installer showing up who’s never heard your story. From our first conversation to the final install, it’s me. That means your vision doesn’t get diluted along the way—and nothing gets lost in translation.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Keeping my business small allows me to give each project the attention it deserves. I’m not juggling dozens of jobs at once or pushing volume over quality. Every measurement, material choice, and finish matters because my name is on every sign I produce. If something isn’t right, I know it—and I fix it. That level of accountability is hard to replicate in a larger operation.

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CALL ME “GUMBY”

Another advantage of a one-person business is flexibility. Every location, building, and client need is different. I can adapt designs, timelines, and solutions without navigating layers of approval or rigid processes. If a project presents an unexpected challenge, I’m able to think creatively and respond quickly. My goal is always to find the best solution, not the most convenient one.

CUTTING OUT THE MIDDLEMAN

Communication is also simpler and faster. When you call or email, you’re talking directly to me. Questions are answered promptly, changes are handled efficiently, and expectations stay clear. That saves time, reduces stress, and keeps projects moving smoothly.

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KNOWING A GOOD THING WHEN YOU SEE IT

I also believe there’s value in relationships. Many of my clients come back again and again, and that means everything to me. I’m not interested in being a one-time transaction. I want to understand your business, your goals, and how your signage can support both. My success depends on your satisfaction, referrals, and trust—so delivering quality work isn’t optional, it’s essential.

At the end of the day, choosing a one-man sign business means choosing craftsmanship, honesty, and personal care over mass production. It means knowing exactly who is responsible for your project and trusting that they’re invested in the outcome.

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For me, staying small isn’t a limitation—it’s the reason I can do my best work. And for my clients, it means getting a sign that’s made with intention, precision, and pride.

Mark Hackley is owner/operator of Augusta Sign Company in Staunton, VA. If you’re interested in becoming a customer or have interest in taking over an established sign business, reach out anytime at 540-943-9818.

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God Provides; He Always Does

God Provides; He Always Does

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HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

As I take a break to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, I have time to reflect on one of the most financially-challenging years as a small business owner. At the start of the year cash was plentiful. I had been pre-paid for several large projects at the end of the preceding fiscal year; The stock market was rising; and a new president was moving into the White House. It wasn’t very long though until physical, business, and polical climates began to change all around me. Somewhere in mid-January I became ill with Covid for the second time since 2020. It wasn’t as bad as the first time, but it slowed things down at the sign company for a few weeks.

LET IT SNOW

Then to extend the pain, right after I started feeling somewhat better, our area was hit with several back-to-back ice and snow storms, bringing things to a wintery stand-still. By the end of March, my first-quarter sales were down tremendously and I hadn’t been out much doing new surveys or drumming up future work. Then, the final blow came from the economic uncertainty surrounding the new Trump tarriffs. All this added up to abnormally low sales and production levels not seen since 2016 when I was at my shop in Waynesboro. My wife and I decided to keep our spring break vacation plans intact and regroup upon our return.

BLESSED ASSURANCE

Fortunately, I was blessed to have secured several large interior display projects in Verona and Harrisonburg, and these jobs served as the foundation for me to rebuild my sales pipeline going forward in the year. I brushed off the dust and thanked God for new work. Then, I prayed about things and moved forward a little at a time. Eventually I added some personal capital to make up for the underperforming first quarter and things have been better since.

THANKFUL REFLECTION AND POSITIVE OUTLOOK AHEAD

Now that the year is almost over, I see how God has pulled me through a difficult business cycle, and I look forward to a more profitable time ahead. Pondering the meaning of “profit”, I wonder if sometimes this word is overused relative to monetary gains? Remembering that God is always at the helm, I have renewed faith that I am profitting in deeper, more meaningful ways that I can even imagine, even through the bad times!

The following are the lyrics to one of my favorite inspirational songs called “God on the Mountain” by Tracy Dartt, who passed away in 2022:

Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain
And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known
But things change when you’re down in the valley
Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone

For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
The God of the day is still God in the night

You talk of faith when you’re up on the mountain
But talk comes so easy when life’s at it’s best
Now it’s down in the valleys, of trials and temptations
That’s where your faith, is really put to the test

For the God on the mountain is still God in the valley
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
The God of the day, is still God in the night
The God of the day, is still God in the night

Mark Hackley owns and operates Augusta Sign Company, PO Box 519 Waynesboro, VA 22980.

540-943-9818

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Why I Believe Ordering Signs Locally Makes a Difference

How I Made Signs in the Staunton Historic District

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MAKING SIGNAGE HISTORY

Several months before his planned opening I received a phone call from a California customer who owned commercial property in the Staunton Historic District. The historic downtown of Staunton, Virginia is a great place to locate a retail business for owners wanting to operate in a small town setting that is rich in history. When I saw the initial call come in, I thought it was just another spam call after noticing an unusual area code. I allowed the call to go to voice mail, and found out that it was a legitimate new sign request.

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RENOVATION EXPECTATIONS

The customer had recently renovated space to house two retail stores, a small cafe and a much-needed laundromat, and he wanted to interview me to see if I could help him with signage. After our initial meeting, I was able to determine his needs and get him a price based on design drawings provided by his architect. Starting a new business requires a lot of start-up capital so to limit his expense of the new signage, I was able to provide him with contact information to the specified sign bracket supplier from which he could order the customized brackets specified by the architect himself. This would save him the cost of my markup, and I was eager to help him with that if he ordered the custom ACM sign panels and the installation of the signs and brackets from Augusta Sign Company.

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CALIFORNIA DREAMING

Since he lived in California and only came to the Staunton area every month or two, we timed our meetings to when he was in town. We determined a reasonable completion date to align with his final inspection and I proceeded with the construction of the signage. Once ready, I delivered the signs and installed the custom aluminum brackets into the old brick of the historic brick walls with anchor bolts reinforced with epoxy adhesive. It was an unusually windy summer evening with a passing thunderstorm in the area, but I was able to get the brackets and sign panels installed by the pre-determined deadline. While I was at it, I lettered his front door window as well!

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Mark Hackley is owner/operator of Augusta Sign Company. Augusta Sign Company is a VA Class B Contractor and is based in Augusta County, Virginia. Inquiries for new sign projects can be directed to mark@augustasigncompany.com, 540-943-9818.