It’s High Time for Some Quality Signage

Having watched the battle for decriminalization and legalization of marijuana for the past 30 years or so, I’m pleased to see D.C. taking steps to join the national movement in this direction.

But in looking at the storefront names and sign designs across the country, I’m appalled by the majority of what I’ve seen!

Most of the designs are so awful and amateur, they don’t come close to even your worst vision of a liquor store in which you’d never step foot. Even Apu’s Kwik-E-Mart on “The Simpsons” had a better storefront.

As more and more businesses open up, why can’t these operations take a little more time and put some thought and dollars behind their signage? Seems to me that a stylish, sophisticated logo, type treatment and design would (could?) go a long way to help alleviate neighborhood fears of a weed establishment going in next to your coffee shop or shoe store. After all, not all of the patrons are burn-out remnants of a Dead show. More and more users are professionals: lawyers, doctors, U.S. Presidents, or they are medical patients looking for alternative remedies for ailments that standard medicines don’t, won’t or can’t help with.

I’m not here to argue the benefits/detriments/ of marijuana, but I am arguing for better storefront designs. So let’s raise the level of these designs — and please.

• Don’t use University Roman Font, or any psychedelic-style fonts for that matter.

• Don’t use the leaf icon — it’ll help gain approval from the city and won’t make your neighbors so nervous.

• Don’t use neon lighting — just don’t.

• Don’t use Jamaican flag colors. I mean really?

• Don’t use an outlandish color palette (see the first bullet point).

• No punny names. It doesn’t help, and only the stoners will get it anyway.

Final takeaway: If you want to increase your traffic, and create an air of professionalism, put your best sign forward.­­