class="tag"Posts Tagged ‘Toronto’
No Comments Spellbinding Custom Sign For The Toronto Harry Potter Themed Store Curiosa
Many Are Curious About Curiosa
Over the last few weeks there has been a lot of buzz about the Harry Potter themed store that popped up in Toronto. With both Halloween and Christmas around the corner, the timing for the store’s opening couldn’t be better. This shop is sure to be a favourite for eclectic collectors, board game fans, movie fanatics, aspiring magicians and “would be” wizards. Curiosa is a retail shop branded as Toronto’s Purveyors of Extraordinary Things. Their establishment stocks mystical, magical, magnificent items and they needed their sign to reflect that.
Custom Sign Crafted For Curiosa
The sign for the Curiosa store was created from western red cedar. The sign was sandblasted on both sides with the store name and logo. It was given a dark finish with white highlights. This keeps with the colour scheme of the the store but also makes it highly visible to vehicle traffic and those passing by on foot.
Findability is key when it comes to opening a new retail store. The storefront must be welcoming and the sign should generate interest about what can be found inside. In this case, the sign sparks curiosity about what can be found on the other side of the door through the use of the image of an eye peaking through the keyhole. It brings the idea of a “focal point” to a whole new level. Do you recall the FLYING KEYS scene in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone?
The idea that this shop might provide the keyhole for one of those flying keys makes it even more mysterious!
Crafting signs to reflect the business it will represent is something we take pride in and we are thrilled to see the attention this sign is grabbing.
We Want To Put A Spell On YouWhen it comes to creating business signs, we can create something spellbinding for your company too. All it takes is a visit to our CONTACT US page to connect with us.
Sculptural Signs – Taverna Mercatto Restaurant Toronto
Ornamental Exterior Sign
Next time you are between two Toronto landmarks, Rogers Centre (formerly known as Skydome) and the Air Canada Centre, be on the look out for our latest work at Taverna Mercatto. Working with the design firm Office Bureau the restaurant exterior signage was manufactured to replicate ornamental metal. Unlike the mystery tunnel builder in Toronto, we know that you require permission and permits before you can begin building anything.
After approval from the Toronto Sign Bylaw Unit, the sign design for Taverna Mercatto was finalized and manufacturing of this ornamental sign began. Sculptural signs are eye-catching for both pedestrian and vehicle traffic and it was decided that a free standing sign would be a great focal point for this high traffic area.
3 Dimensional Projection Sign
The Taverna Mercatto sign was finished in black with 23K gold leaf highlights on this 3 dimensional sign and LED lit so it would shine both day and night.
Projecting off a lamp post, it is a very unique sign on the street. Choosing sculptural signs as a way to differentiate a business from other companies is a great choice especially in an area where there are several restaurants to choose from. It is very inviting looking and that is important when attracting customers to a restaurant in a central tourist area.
Be On The Look Out For Additional Mercatto Signage
In addition the Taverna Mercatto sign we have been involved in other design elements for that location as well as some of their other locations.
Window graphics and interior signage upgrades are also part of their signage package, all with the artistic look to match their current architecture.
Choosing to work with a custom sign shop for both your interior and/or exterior signs allows for a lot of choice. From size to materials to paint colours your business signs are a great way to take your branding to the next level. For more information on how we can elevate your brand visit our CONTACT US page to connect with one of our expert signmakers.
An Artistic Sign For Director Ivan Reitman’s Montecito Restaurant
Need An Artistic Sign? Who You Gonna Call?
We were thrilled to get the call that we had been chosen to manufacture an artistic sign for Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman’s Montecito Restaurant in Toronto Ontario.
As mentioned in the Ottawa Citizen article Montecito, it is named after his production company, and can be found in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district. It will be located close to the Toronto International Film Festival hub the TIFF Bell Lightbox. With TIFF releasing their 2014 film lineup earlier today the timing is just right for the opening of Montecito.
Bringing Something Unique To The Area
Restaurant co-owner Jonathan Waxman took a unique approach to the fare being served and will focus the menu around Canadian sourced ingredients. We also took a creative approach and created a sign as unique as the restaurant itself. Finding a way to bring artistic elements to a metal sign can be quite a challenge, but by using a few creative sign-making techniques the project came together nicely. It began with a metal sign with a dark distressed-look finish to resemble patina (otherwise know as a weathered material).
The restaurant’s graphic logo resembles the trees in this ariel shot of Montecito California
and in order to make it a focal point for the sign the image was hand engraved into the metal sign.
Additionally the name Montecito was cut out of the sign to leave room for the amber lit LEDs to shine through. The sign was then installed on the exterior of the building to let customers know that they are now open for business.
Recipe For Success
The upscale atmosphere for the restaurant in the artistic entertainment distric of Toronto will be a great fit, but they aren’t taking themselves too seriously. See what we mean in the Toronto Star article where you can see a Ghostbusters inspired recipe for a Staypuff dessert.
Looking for an artisitc sign for your business? Be sure to visit our CONTACT US page and let us know we have peaked your interest! By sending us the size, shape, text you require we can get a custom sign quote off to you right away!
Great Custom Signs Get To Share The Spotlight
Creating A Custom Sign For A Vintage Landmark
It’s hard to believe that 2 years have already gone by from when we created the custom sign for the exterior of Gusto101 in Toronto. The Going For The Gusto post was a step by step look at how the sign was created and given a custom faux rust finish to match the vintage building it where it would be situated, but there is much more to the story of Gusto101.
Adding To The Atmosphere
When it comes to custom restaurant signs we know that signage plays a big part in creating an atmosphere around a location from the exterior of the building to the architectural interior. Gusto101 took it one step further and made their vintage look sign part of their brand. They choose to celebrate the former car garage location and keep reminders of days gone by while adding modern day touches like a retractable patio roof. The mix of traditional vs modern works in there favour and they chose to celebrate their unique establishment with a video.
I’m sure you can see why we really like this video. Seeing the Gusto101 sign go from day to night gives a great representation of how important your custom sign is. It is a 24 hour advertisment for your business and it can elevate your company’s brand.
Finding The Right Fit
When it comes to finding the right sign to fit both your business and your budget , our professional sign makers can assist you with several choices to streamline the sign design, permit, manufacturing and installation processes. Being a full service sign shop our sign experts can suggest ways to customize the look of your sign and give it the unique style your business deserves. Be sure to visit our Contact Us page to request your quote for your own custom crafted sign.
Custom Restaurant Business Signs and Food Service Signage – CRFA Show
For Our Clients – Discount Code For CRFA SHOW
Last year The Sign Depot attended the CRFA Show for the first time. The CRFA Show is targeted to those in the Canadian Restaurant and Food Service Association. It is a trade show that stops in several large Canadian cities and The Sign Depot was there to showcase our custom Restaurant Signs and Food Service signage solutions at the Toronto trade show.
It was a very well attended show and we were able to make several connections with professionals in the Restaurant and Food Service industry. Our custom signs sparked a lot of interest and many of the attendees from last year’s CRFA event could see how our artistic dimensional signs would be a good fit for their establishments.
Next month we will be returning vendors for the CRFA Show and we want to have you visit us at Booth 341 located across from the cooking stage. It was a hub of activity last year with all the Chefs demonstrating professional restaurant techniques and delicious dishes. This year the Restaurant Industry Chefs that will be taking the stage include Mark McEwan from Top Chef Canada and Anna Olson from The Food Network’s Bake and Culinary Consultant John Placko just to name a few.
To ensure our clients are able to visit our custom sign booth at the CRFA Show this year we are able to offer you a discount code for your online registration. If you are in the Restaurant and Food Service Industry head over to the CRFA Show Registration Page and enter the Source Code 106527 to receive your tickets for the price of $17.50 (advanced online purchases only).
Click The Photo Above To Register - Use Source Code 106527 To Discount Your Order
To see examples of our Restaurant and Food Service sign solutions stop by our booth or visit our Restaurant Portfolio page. To learn more about what type of signs we can make for your establishment, take a moment and read our post about The Kinds Of Signs We Make Here At The Sign Depot
And we’re PLANKING
Creating Walls With Wood Planks
When a designer has a vision, it is our mission to make that vision a reality. Taking everyday materials and changing them to create interest is something that we do almost daily. In most cases, once the right materials are found to fit the design concept, then the construction can begin. In this case, it was more about fitting the material into the construction. The design was to create a wood plank wall in our Kitchener workshop for a Toronto restaurant. Finding a way to construct a wall that could be transported and installed to match the design specifications required, was the challenge with this project.
Even big sign projects start small
Instead of beginning with a wall of lumber, the project was built in several small sections. Each 24″x 24″ tile was made from cut cedar planks. When it was laid out on our workshop it resembled parkay flooring.
After seeing how the individual sections would fit together, the project was disassembled so that each cedar piece could be finished with a spray stain process. Once all the pieces were stained the cedar sections were stacked and transported to Toronto.
How we went against the grain
Each 24″x24″ cedar tile was attached to match the pattern that was laid out in the workshop. Adding dimension to the wall was a way to give it character.
It also was to be a reflection of the establishment’s name, Against The Grain Urban Tavern.
When the cedar wall installation was finished it transformed the back drop of the restaurant and ended up reaching 21 feet across the wall.
When a sign is not a sign, it can still be a sign of something else
While there is an absence of graphics and text on this sign project, to us it is still a cedar sign. The lack of words on this sign still represents the business name in an understated way.
3 Dimensional Signs – NHL at the ACC
Hockey Night
In honour of tonight’s Leafs vs Habs hockey game, we thought we would give a shout out to our pals heading to the Air Canada Centre tonight! While you at the arena, make sure to visit the newest stop, the MOLSON CANADIAN BREWHOUSE. We would be thrilled to see your pics beside our latest structural sign. Have a pic of yourself by the Brewhouse sign? Send them to accounting@sign-depot.on.ca .You might just appear on our latest blog post or end up on Sign Depot Fan Page!
Adding Dimension To A Maple Leaf
Here is a look at how the 3 dimensional sign was constructed in our Sign Depot sign shop and installed at The Air Canada Centre, otherwise known as Home Of The Toronto Maple Leafs.
Refreshing A Recognized Establishment
