Seems like a new sidewalk sign pops up daily in the village business district. Struggling retailers think the extra signage brings more customers into their shops.
Maybe.
But it’s a sure thing that the portable signs litter Liverpool’s landscape.
Last month, I walked northwesterly through the village starting at the railroad tracks. This is what I saw:
A half-dozen A-framed signs advertised Ponderosa Plaza businesses, including two for Squadrito’s and one each for Blondie’s, Avon, Fish Cove and Books & Braids. The American Diner announced its Friday fish fry on a sandwich sign.
At Heid’s corner, a sandwich sign drew attention to Sweet Treats’ “warm cookies” while another hyped a sale of used office furniture. In a classic case of retail redundancy, a yellow sandwich sign stood outside Voss Signs.
On Oswego Street, sandwich signs promoted Nick’s barber shop and Original Italian Pizza and Valero gasoline. On First Street, sidewalk signs stood outside D.G. Lawns’ florist shop, Fortunato’s European Hair Design and Flowers Etc.
Nichols’ Discount Liquor store places a “Live Bait” sign at the corner of Vine and First streets to help sell worms from a vending machine.
Along Vine Street across from The Retreat, pedestrians must dodge a whole slew of sandwich signs including those for Reid & Zutant Inc. Insurance, Crouse Outpatient Wellness Center, Hurst-Hofer Insurance Agency, the Bella Regala gift shop and Bradley’s Jewelers.
On Tulip Street, Ophelia’s Place advertises its Caf at 407 with a sandwich sign and Pizza Villa promotes a two slices deal with a sign on the corner of Route 57.
Tacky and tasteless
On certain days, Liverpool Public Library puts out a sign on Second Street announcing free concerts, and every Friday American Legion Post 188 has one on Cypress Street to publicize bingo.
Over on Oswego Street, the Masons have the good taste to keep their sandwich sign – a classy Gilbert Stuart image of George Washington – up on the stoop of the Liverpool-Syracuse Lodge No. 501 rather than down on the sidewalk.
Such signs are allowed by the village code unless they’re located on village property in which case the retailer must apply for a variance.
Even though they’re legal, their proliferation is bothersome. They clearly violate the spirit of the village comprehensive plan which pointed to excess signage as one of the village’s biggest bugaboos.
The comprehensive plan laid out a vision of a pedestrian-friendly village, but these self-perpetuating signs clearly impede pedestrian traffic. Not only that, they’re tacky and tasteless.
What the hail?
I got caught in that April 27 hailstorm, one of the worst I’ve ever seen around here.
I was driving to the library and was waiting for the light to change at Tulip and Second streets when the deluge descended. The hailstones were big as marbles, and many were the size of robin’s eggs. Hundreds of ice balls smacked against my defenseless Hyundai in a dramatic staccato outburst. This is what it must feel like to be fired upon by machine guns, I thought.
Despite the noisy attack from above, my car and I survived without so much as a dent.
Onondaga Lake Park wasn’t so lucky. The lakeside is still a mess after last week’s storms, and the marina is closed
Teachers vs. taxpayers
Did you notice that teachers in the Syracuse City School District agreed to lower raises last week?
But that didn’t happen here in Liverpool where the teachers chose to soak taxpayers for every last penny.
By the way, it’s no coincidence that two of the four candidates for Liverpool school board are related to teachers.
