We pass them everyday without giving them a second thought. Their influence on our consumptive impulses has long since passed. Yet they linger - fading over time until their clouded message loses its connection to our modern world... These few samples are tucked away in alley ways and side streets - no longer frequented by the retail public that were once drawn in.
Our recently exposed sign was last painted in the early 1970's. This is a northeastern exposure and has weathered remarkably well. A similar sign painted on the southwestern end of the building endured direct sunlight and was forever needing a touch-up. Earlier photos of the sign referenced our plumbing roots - pipe, valves and fittings. In this rendition, only industrial supplies are highlighted.
The sign was painted repeatedly over the years and served for all intents and purpose as our only visible advertisement. As lowly wholesalers, the Brammall name was spread by word of mouth and reputation throughout Southwest Michigan's thriving industrial community.
No TV. No radio. No print media. Just people talking to people. Hmmmm.
As we return our focus to the exterior of our building the nagging question remains: what to do with the sign? Remove? Re-Paint and restore? Or seal as-is and capture the moment -this snapshot of our past... ?
We have begun to finish the exposed wood joist ceiling in one of our units (#2). Above left, an un-finished view and below, the same view after being stained and sealed. We are pleased with the warmth and dimension that the stain has provided. The painters have reluctantly acknowledged that the task is more than they expected - they must finish two vertical sides of a joist as well as the cross braces and the horizontal ceiling itself - more than 3 times the effort over a simple drywall ceiling spray job!
