Decades ago, DC was full of hand-painted signs pointing customers toward various retail establishments. They were eye-catching and distinctive, but they were also expensive, required regular repainting, and took a great amount of skill and time to produce. Eventually, the colorful come-ons were mostly replaced by more modern signage.
But lately, these retro visuals have been making a comeback. Maybe you’ve noticed the hand-painted sign above Chevy Chase DC’s Happy Go Bikes, or the one gracing the new outpost of Solid State Books on 14th Street. Solid State co-owner Scott Abel says the effort and expense were worth it. In May, he hired printmaker Alessandra Echeverri to decorate the outside of their new location, hoping to tap into the “allure of something a bit more analog,” he says.
Painter Patrick Owens at work in DC. Photograph courtesy of Patrick Owens.
There are no modern shortcuts: The signs are painstakingly created with brushes and paint, and they can take hours or days to complete. The craftsmanship is part of the appeal—for both the shops and the artists. Michael Theodoran, who owns the local business Caswell Sign & Design Co., ditched a career in graphic design and went to LA to study sign painting. “I was hungry for a role where I could use my hands to produce something tangible,” he says. “Signs are a part of the visual landscape of the communities we live in.” Now he’s set up shop in Mount Pleasant, and his work can be seen at the nearby restaurant La Tejana, the Georgetown clothing shop Buck Mason, and Happy Go Bikes.
Another local artist, Patrick Owens, has done work for DC restaurants such as Bartaco and All-Purpose. Why put in all that effort for something that will inevitably fade? “The quality and handcrafted feel that comes with hand-painted signs,” he says, “can’t be replaced.”
This article appears in the July 2023 issue of Washingtonian.
Before becoming Research Editor, Damare Baker was an Editorial Fellow and Assistant Editor for Washingtonian. She has previously written for Voice of America and The Hill. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she studied international relations, Korean, and journalism.
What’s Up With All the Hand-Painted Shop Signs?
Solid State Books and La Tejana are part of the trend
Decades ago, DC was full of hand-painted signs pointing customers toward various retail establishments. They were eye-catching and distinctive, but they were also expensive, required regular repainting, and took a great amount of skill and time to produce. Eventually, the colorful come-ons were mostly replaced by more modern signage.
But lately, these retro visuals have been making a comeback. Maybe you’ve noticed the hand-painted sign above Chevy Chase DC’s Happy Go Bikes, or the one gracing the new outpost of Solid State Books on 14th Street. Solid State co-owner Scott Abel says the effort and expense were worth it. In May, he hired printmaker Alessandra Echeverri to decorate the outside of their new location, hoping to tap into the “allure of something a bit more analog,” he says.
There are no modern shortcuts: The signs are painstakingly created with brushes and paint, and they can take hours or days to complete. The craftsmanship is part of the appeal—for both the shops and the artists. Michael Theodoran, who owns the local business Caswell Sign & Design Co., ditched a career in graphic design and went to LA to study sign painting. “I was hungry for a role where I could use my hands to produce something tangible,” he says. “Signs are a part of the visual landscape of the communities we live in.” Now he’s set up shop in Mount Pleasant, and his work can be seen at the nearby restaurant La Tejana, the Georgetown clothing shop Buck Mason, and Happy Go Bikes.
Another local artist, Patrick Owens, has done work for DC restaurants such as Bartaco and All-Purpose. Why put in all that effort for something that will inevitably fade? “The quality and handcrafted feel that comes with hand-painted signs,” he says, “can’t be replaced.”
This article appears in the July 2023 issue of Washingtonian.
Before becoming Research Editor, Damare Baker was an Editorial Fellow and Assistant Editor for Washingtonian. She has previously written for Voice of America and The Hill. She is a graduate of Georgetown University, where she studied international relations, Korean, and journalism.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Every Bus Line in DC Is Changing This Weekend. Here’s What to Know.
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
8 Takeaways From Usha Vance’s Interview With Meghan McCain
Bans on Underage Vaping, Swastika Graffiti, Synthetic Dyes: New Virginia Laws Go Into Effect in July
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
Kings Dominion’s Wild New Coaster Takes Flight in Virginia
More from News & Politics
Pardoned J6er Will Join Ed Martin’s Justice Department Office, Trump Outlines Hypothetical Alligator Escape Plan, and We Have Fireworks Show Recommendations
The “World’s Largest Outdoor Museum” Is Coming to DC. Here’s a Preview.
A Cult Classic of Cannabis Brands Is Making Its DC Debut
The Commanders Wine and Dine DC Council Members; GOP Senator Suggests Tax Language Was “Airdropped” Into Spending Bill; and Trump Wants DOGE to Investigate Musk
100 Reasons to Love DC Right Now
How DC’s Attorney General Got So Good at Double Dutch
DC Council Ponders New Way to Expel Trayon White, the GOP’s Budget Bill Advances, and We Found You Some Tacos With Ethiopian Flair
For DNC Chair Ken Martin, the Big Beautiful Bill Is Personal