The A-frame advertisements that local businesses place on the sidewalk to attract business can get in the way sometimes. Those sandwich boards have to compete for sidewalk space with bike racks, outdoor tables and chairs, trees, and of course people.
For that reason, the city limits businesses to one sandwich board. However, recent enforcement of that rule is hurting a Pioneer Square business.
Customers at the Seattle Mystery Bookshop have been cut by more than a third since the bookshop was told to remove its second sign.
While people do need enough space to use the sidewalk comfortably, advertisements for nearby establishments can be a helpful enhancement to the causal walking experience.
At a time when businesses and Pioneer Square in general are struggling, is a one-sign limit reasonable? In Portland, businesses have to pay a nominal fee for additional sidewalk signage. Would a policy like that be an improvement here?
I have a lot of skepticism that the business’ drop in customers is linked to their removal of a sandwich sign. On the other hand, I must admit that sandwich signs with menus actually do make me more likely to visit – or not visit – a place, because I can see what they’re serving before going in.
By the way, it’s taken me days of visiting this site periodically and skimming it to find the comments section. Why can’t it be at the bottom of the posts like normal sites?
Ask and you shall receive.