urbanSTL

Could LEFT BANK BOOKS DOWNTOWN please get a bigger and better sign?



This is the new signage:







on this huge building/store and corner:







Couldn't they utilize the gray area above the windows of the store?



The building doesn't lead people into the store - infact it is almost too nondescriped to even know it is there.



Something like this would be good IMO:





or







YIKES!



It should be noted that Borders is financially hurting and has announced huge layoffs at its headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan and is closing the downtown Borders stores in Detroit, Minneapolis and Indy this summer. Bad news there!!!

In related news: Crate and Barrel and William Senoma are also closing its downtown Minneapolis stores.

ha. i actually mentioned the same thing to one of the employees. did they run over to Kinko's on Olive to make that sign? it needs to be HUGE. It's hardly recognizable when you're walking around 10th and Locust.

matguy70 wrote:It should be noted that Borders is financially hurting and has announced huge layoffs at its headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan and is closing the downtown Borders stores in Detroit, Minneapolis and Indy this summer.

That is bad news indeed. It makes me grateful that Craig Heller made it possible for Left Bank to open a downtown location, and that we didn't offer Borders and/or Barnes & Noble incentives to locate in our downtown. The closing of the other stores you mentioned in downtown Minneapolis suggests that retailers might be cutting back with urban locations first in this tough economy. Maybe it's not such a bad thing that St. Louis is a little behind the curve this time?

How big of a sign do they really need? It seems to me that most of their business is going to be foot traffic from downtown residents, workers, attendees at conventions or other downtown events. Why should they waste money on a large sign that could be seen by folks in autos driving down 10th or Locust? For that matter, how many autos even drive down the blocks of Locust and 10th the store is located on? Think about it.

My understanding is that Borders long term strategy is to cut back on some of the supersized stores in high rent places (they are closing their largest store on Michigan Avenue in Chicago) and to drastically minimize DVD and CD inventory so that they can concentrate more on a wider selection of books.

vollum wrote:How big of a sign do they really need?

I don't know if they really need a bigger sign, but I would've liked to have seen something bigger and a little bolder than this.

ThreeOneFour wrote:

vollum wrote:How big of a sign do they really need?

I don't know if they really need a bigger sign, but I would've liked to have seen something bigger and a little bolder than this.

We've heard several other instances in which the city has been difficult to deal with when it comes to signage - I wonder if this is one of those cases.

We've heard several other instances in which the city has been difficult to deal with when it comes to signage - I wonder if this is one of those cases.

Well, within a half mile, there's a flamingo marquee on a bowling alley, a windmill on the Monkey Building, and a champagne bottle on a catering company. Doesn't sound all that difficult to deal with.

publiceye wrote:

We've heard several other instances in which the city has been difficult to deal with when it comes to signage - I wonder if this is one of those cases.

Well, within a half mile, there's a flamingo marquee on a bowling alley, a windmill on the Monkey Building, and a champagne bottle on a catering company. Doesn't sound all that difficult to deal with.

True, but I wasn't sure if the same rules apply to Washington Avenue as elsewhere in the city - if Washington Avenue had a different set of design standards for signage than the rest of downtown/the city. The poster here who owns The U. in midtown sounded like he had a hard time getting approval for his sign, as did the owners of The Pitted Olive and other establishments in town.

Unless things have changed, the code for signs downtown does not allow "blade" signs - those sticking out from the building. To get one, you first have to have your application rejected, and then pay more money for a variance, which also takes more time.



The scale of the sign at LB Books seems to me to be consistent with a lot of other signage for retailers downtown - such as ours (Salt of the Earth) or City Smiles, or even those for the other businesses on 10th street or the circular signs on the Louderman Building.



We would love to have an illuminated sign, for example, but we had very strict rules from our condo docs regarding size as well as lighting.



I would imagine that cost as well as some of these other considerations are involved. Let us not forget that this is a retail tenant that is not paying any rent, therefore, I would imagine as the start-up expenses were mounting and the economy was tanking, investing in a larger, flashier sign might not have been on the top of anyone's list.



Also for those of you who recall, Ambiente had no signage other than window lettering, so the signs are actually an additional demarkation for the space.

Left Bank Books tried to get approval for larger, bolder signage but was turned down by the city. Wash Ave is under different zoning conditions than "the Old Post Office" district. Not a guess, not rumor, this is straight from the horse's mouth.... Craig Heller was fully behind larger more prominent signage. Blame the city.

saltearth wrote:Unless things have changed, the code for signs downtown does not allow "blade" signs - those sticking out from the building. To get one, you first have to have your application rejected, and then pay more money for a variance, which also takes more time.

Does this mean that it is literally impossible to "hang out a shingle" downtown?

lol. i love these e-business owners.



good thing for urbanstl.com, or improving signage would of never crossed left bank book mind.



thanks guys!! please keep them coming!

^ not this jerk again. I still refuse to shop at your store after your last blow up. Lighten up you nut.

kleancut wrote:lol. i love these e-business owners.



good thing for urbanstl.com, or improving signage would of never crossed left bank book mind.



thanks guys!! please keep them coming!

Here's one: get your web site up and running.

Wow.



Calling someone a 'jerk' and a 'nut' just because of an alleged "blow up" (Which I've read, and it certainly was NOT a blow up) is quite childish, and honestly I find it a bit humorous.



Why can't we be more supportive of downtown business owners instead of constantly criticizing them and their establishments? We're never going to see a thriving downtown with this kind of 'support'. Sheesh.



Kudos to kleancut for being a downtown business owner. And the business is DARN good, might I add.



Now back to the topic:



I think Left Bank Books' sign is just fine. Since there aren't very many other stores trying to steal the shopper's attention, I think a small sign is adequate. I also like the detailing on the windows...it looks very professional. If I lived in one of the lofts above LB, I wouldn't want a bright neon sign in my window either. I don't know how the inhabitants of the Knickerbocker can stand it.

^I think we're criticizing the well-known policies on the part of the city and not really the store itself. What's with all the flaming in the last few posts?

Moorlander wrote:^ not this jerk again. I still refuse to shop at your store after your last blow up. Lighten up you nut.

lol @ blow up. omg.. outta control! get me some tranquilizer



btw, thanks nuke!

Thanks for the photos matguy. The building looks incredible.