Uncommon Courtesy, Retro Design & Free Markets

Chef Rebecca Kelly at left

The first time I met Rebecca Kelly was at a local coffee and bagel place near my home. It had not been open too long when I decided to stop in one morning. I was greeted warmly by a courteous, eager young lady. I ordered a large "regular" coffee. Then I asked for some honey they apparently kept it behind the counter. Now on a blog like this I usually bore you with the details of a particular sign technique or color scheme not how I take my morning coffee.  I know you really would not find it important. Which this brings me to my point. The next day when I stopped in, I was hoping to be served by the same warm person. Can you imagine how blown away I was when she said, "Good morning Mr. Sauls." She was already pouring a large regular and handed me the honey. I do not recall introducing myself the previous morning. I can only assume that she had noticed my Sauls Signs embroidered logo on the shirt I frequently wear. I knew from the get-go that Rebecca would always make good. Over time we would develop a friendly give and take and it was not long before her greeting shifted to, "How's my favorite graphic-artist?"

I was shocked and disappointed one morning to learn that Rebecca had moved to another location and then was gone altogether.

A New Venture

Several months had passed and I received a phone call. Before I could finish my obligatory Sauls Signs may I help you, I heard "How's my Favorite Graphic-artist!" Rebecca was launching Street Chefs and needed graphics for Stella, her new, old food service truck. Which we were happy to provide. Although at that point I thought the whole food-truck thing to be sort of silly, my gut told me if anyone can make it go here in Tallahassee it would be her. 

It was not long after that that I began seeing Stella parked at different locations around town and even parked on ML King Boulevard, in front of my shop each Wednesday at the newly re-developed Doug Burnette Park (part of the City of Tallahassee's Gaines Street revitalization). It was there that she told me of the Food Truck Association, of which she was president.

 Rebecca later told me of her cooperative work with the City of Tallahassee to bring a Food Truck Court to Tallahassee's downtown and G.St. area. It was to "Occupy" the empty city property where the former Johns Building had sat.

Chef Kelly once again called upon us to create a sign, this time I would be designing for the City of Tallahassee's approval as well.

Street Chefs Video Clip can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0PguxnUZak&feature=player_embedded

Smooth Sailing

 Any designer can tell you that designing for folks unknown, through a third party can be a prickly task.

So I listened closely to Rebecca's wishes and designed something colorful and with some bounce to it.

 I was delighted by the respect that the city's people showed to the integrity of my design. All of their input was reasonable. Typically this is where layouts can really get off coarse. 

Here is the hand painted sign on my bench at the shop.

I felt that the retro look I sought for could best be achieved by choosing type that had a hand drawn flair. The script was designed by my friend Charles Borges de Oliveira, of California. Charles had been a sign painter before moving exclusively into typeface design. The man understands the brush and his scripts are always something special.

 

My Daughter Marianne, Helped me with the install.

Now I shall ruminate

I was glad to see Mark Beaudoin at the soft opening of the Food Truck Court. Mr. Beaudoin is with the City's Real Estate Division. It had been years since I had seen him. We were both impressed by the turn out at todays pre-opener. State workers were lining up to be served by the 4-5 food service trucks and it is my understanding that very little advertising had been done. It was exciting to be there installing the sign as the soft opening was actually taking place. As a fiscal conservative I am delighted to see this project here. It will bring in revenues to the city on a property that is off on the tax roles, provides a lucrative spot for the Food Truck Entrepreneurs, gives me a better variety of lunch choices and get folks down to the Gaines St.

 I own a small business in the All Saints Neighborhood, just off Gaines St. A Sauls has operated a business at that location since the 1920s. It is my understanding that at one time this runned down industrial like area had been a fine part of town. I see this FTC as a ingenious move that can only be helpful in moving things along towards a happy place. And all without muddying up my free-market sensibilities. On a selfish note it was great to get some business from the city and see progress after enduring the G. St. Construction. I am glad to see light at the end of the tunnel.

Now next time you see Beaudoin tell him to try one of the sliders from Street Chefs or a buffalo chicken taco from Taco Gringos. This should give him another reason to smile.

Cape St. George Lighthouse Progression, Part III: Let Your Light Shine Before Men

Machines, Men & Muscle: It's not all paint chips and crayons. 

When you have been a sign-maker for a short time you'll realize that it is like wrestling

an octopus.

This craft demands that you know a little about many other crafts and trades. The variety of overlapping skills that are required to do this creatively means networking and relying upon the expertise of others.

  Allen Boatright of Boatright Timber Service milled the old growth cypress posts for the project. Allen is a family friend. When asked if he had anything (cypress) he could cut 14 foot posts from,
he mentioned a couple of logs in the timber-yard that had been drying for two years. When I arrived he had already milled the CSGL's posts and was milling some planks on the powerful band saw shown to the right. Boatright sits on the Board of Directors of The Florida Forestry Association, has served as National Chairman and is Chairman of Florida's "Log A Load For Kids" charity.

  

For at least 25 years I have been able to count on David Watson and his staff

at Iron Images, Inc.

Watson has the down to earth quality of taking my ideas

and doing what it takes to make them happen, properly.

The powder-coated, welded framing is secured to the custom milled posts, before they are set in the ground.

 A Surprise for the Folks at CSGL: 

 

The restored Light is from circa 1852. I wanted to include just one more special touch. So I deviated slightly from my originally submitted design by carving "1852" into the post ornamentation. Sixteen of these 1/2 inch disks were fashioned on the CarveWright machine. 

The MDO sign panels are "sandwiched" between the layering of the carved and blasted HDU head-piece. It was coated with two applications of fiber glass resin, and finished with 100% acrylic paints.

Terry Kemp, Secretary of The St. George Lighthouse Association and Pandora Schlitt a  CSGL supporter,

were present for the long awaited installation of the

Park's newest addition. 

A special thank you to Jim & Terry Kemp, George Floyd of the Apalachicola Maritime Museum and The Franklin County Tourist Developement Council.The Cape St. George Light sign will easily be one of the most memorable

projects of my career. St. George Island has changed dramatically since my childhood visits. Any trip to the island remains special. Please visit the CSGL Park and climb the Light's spiraled staircase. See for yourself why Franklin County can be so proud of what these folks have accomplished.