1950s-1970s Era Signage -- Still Up and Rotating... (Columbus: maintenance, live in)

[NG Metro]

Hi Cbus People.

Super-specific question, here.

Once upon a time, it was common to see retail establishments with outdoor rotating signs. Think like kitschy roadside style, often with post-googie architectural queues. The signs are/were frequently found at drive-ins, liquor stores, banks... to some extent gas stations or just generic retail centers.

Rotating signs were very popular from the 50s through the 70s. Most remained up and rotating through the 80s and 90s. Then, since the new millennium, they've rapidly disappeared.

Does anyone know of active rotating signs anywhere in/near Columbus?

Any intel appreciated!

[Jewel-City-Joe]

I was a student at CCAD and in that time worked in Outdoor Advertising. I learned then that rotary boards (those that are physically taken down and moved each month to another high traffic location thru a 12 month sequence) days were numbered. New evolving technology would bring printing special fabric sign board covers that could more quickly installed over a sign location saving labor cost.

Many of the metal sectional boards made by Butler were were taken apart and new one installed at the same location. A crew may get two or three of these moves made a day. These may be painted in the shop six or seven times (possibly more) before they would have to be stripped down to metal and blocked out in order to begin painting on them again. (after so many re-paints sections of paint could peal off leading to customer complaints) More labor intensive work. Chemical paint removal could be toxic to workers and mechanical removal requiring sound & dust protection for workers. Just costly.

By the time the printed covers were entering the market gilding of plastic covers on City Buses etc was
becoming a thing. Thus the advertising was much more able to penetrate the market.

Today LED digital controlled Outdoor Sign Boards can do so much more by offering multiple advertisers
exposure to the public and even discriminate pricing with the traffic hours. Much like Radio Stations use "drive time" to discriminate their advertising rates. The only cost is maintenance if a section of lighting burns out or there is a malfunction. The programming may be done from a central office which eliminates crews fighting against adverse weather conditions.

I no longer live in Columbus and where I am now (much smaller town) there are hardly any Outdoor Advertising places using Rotaries. It's just cost prohibitive.

It's almost the same as finding sign painters who still hand letter with quill brushes or do Gold Leaf jobs on Office Doors.

You might contact Signs of the Times Magazine in Cincinnati and inquire if you'd like.

https://signsofthetimes.com/contact-us/