Here in New Orleans, we don’t have the kind of revolutionary and monumental signs you would find in New York or Las Vegas. We have a different style. The significance of the industry in New Orleans is more about the history and culture of the places here than the signs that adorn them.
That being said, there are things to see. For instance, any visitor should go to the French Quarter, where you’ll find signage documenting the history of New Orleans, but you’ll also fi nd good eats. Hundred-year-old restaurants like Antoines, Tujagues, and New Orleans favorites like Brennan’s, Emeril’s, Pat O’Briens, and Mother’s all hearken back to different periods in the city’s history.
New Orleans also has very different street signs in many of the older areas. Of course you’ll see the typical Vieux Carre street sign, but much signage is embedded in the concrete and tiles. Signage is paramount in New Orleans (and most Gulf Coast) casinos. The most impressive local casino “showpiece” sign is the Hard Rock Casino’s giant guitar, but the interiors have amazing signage as well. New Orleans is not like the opulent Las Vegas, but there is certainly a lot to note here.
It’s sad to see many of the buildings and homes in states of disrepair due to the impact of Katrina. Things are improving every day but a trip to the Ninth Ward, New Orleans East, or Chalmette will enlighten you on how devastating the storm was. The long-term effect should be positive for the city and surrounding area but, for now, there is a lot of work left to do.
John Maracich is owner of ExpoSigns in New Orleans, which produces wide-format prints, vehicle graphics, banners, tradeshow graphics, and more; he also moderates signfreak.com, a forum for Seiko ColorPainter users.
ExpoSigns
www.exposigns.com