A New Supply of Old North Davis Street Signs? (255)

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I have been asked what a new supply of Old North Street signs would cost. The answer I can offer is the one I learned in inquires I made about this matter in 2013.

When the supply was starting to run low in 2013, I asked the maker of the first set of signs -- the Newman Sign Company -- for a quote and received the answer that more of the current shape--the “cut to shape” kind--would be $134.25 for one sign going up to $34.85 each when one bought 100. This quote is shown in the bottom portion of image 1.

This price was quite a lot more than we paid for the set of 30 we bought from Newman in 2005 and I asked about alternatives. I then learned that using a “precut” or standard shape sign cuts the cost considerably.

Using the standard precut shape of 18 by 5 inches, which fits our situation, we get the quote shown in the top portion of image 1. The prices run from $25.95 for one up to $10.45 each for 100.

In order to get this quote, I also gave Newman a design for a simple sign, which is shown in image 2. It is not exactly the 18 by 5 inch form we would likely use (the size of the lettered portion of the current sign), but close enough to convey the essentials.

These are 2013 quotes and current prices would likely be somewhat higher.

I might also mention that the Newman sign company was used because I asked the City who makes its signs and was told that Newman is a regular competitive and therefore successful bidder for City signs. Newman makes “the real thing” and we see their products all over the City. (An important reason the current sign is a fancy “cut to shape” production is that Newman was already using that top curve in other signs for the City.)

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