A storefront sign has one job: to catch people before they've walked or driven past. There are three kinds that do that well, and each one is for a different kind of passer-by.
We print all three, and our designers make the artwork for you, so you don't need a designer or a finished logo to get started. Here's how to pick, in plain words.
Storefront Sign Checklist
- stand across the street and see what a new customer sees
- something tall if people drive past
- a sidewalk sign at eye level if people walk past
- window graphics for your hours and offers
- permission from your city or landlord for sidewalk signs and flags
Go Stand Across the Street First
Before you order anything, walk to where a new customer would first be able to see your shop, and look back. That spot tells you which sign to get.
On a road with fast traffic, you're trying to reach a driver who glances over for a second or two. They won't read a sentence. They need something tall and moving, with your name on it.
On a main street or in a plaza, you're trying to reach someone walking. They have time for a short line at eye level: a lunch special, a new product, "walk-ins welcome". That's a different sign.
Most shops get both kinds of visitors and end up with one of each. You don't have to buy both on day one.
For People Driving Past: A Flag
A flag is tall enough to clear parked cars, and it moves in the wind, which is exactly what catches a driver's eye. Keep the design simple: your name or one big word, in a color that stands out from the street around it. Leave the phone number for your website.
There are three shapes, and the difference is mostly about how much you want to fit on it:
- a custom feather flag gives you the most height for the money, and suits a short name
- a teardrop flag has a rounder shape that stays readable in the wind, and suits a logo
- a rectangle flag has the largest print area of any flag style, for a logo plus a line of text or a product photo
Every flag comes with a ground stake for grass or soil. If yours will stand on pavement, add a cross base or a square base. They're printed on polyester mesh and can be washed. All our custom flags are in one place.
For People Walking Past: A Sidewalk Sign
A sidewalk sign, often called an A-frame, sits right where people walk, at the height of their eyes. It's the sign for the message that changes: today's soup, the fall sale, a new arrival. So the real question is how often you'll change it.
- Same message for months? The Signicade A-frame has graphics mounted on both faces, and you can fill its hollow body with sand or water so it stays put on a windy corner.
- New message every week or two? Pick one with drop-in panels, like the Simposign II or the Deluxe Signicade. You slide one panel out and another in, so you can keep a few printed and ready. The Simposign II weighs 10 lb, which helps if you carry it in every night.
- A seasonal message? The banner A-frame holds a vinyl banner with bungee cords, and replacement banners are sold on their own.
Your Window Is Already a Sign
You already pay for your window in the rent. Three kinds of graphics work on glass, and each does a different job:
- Window cling is for hours and seasonal offers. You wet the glass, slide it into place, and it peels off with no residue when the offer ends.
- Window perf turns a whole window into a picture outside, and you can still see out from inside.
- Frosted window film gives a salon, clinic or office privacy without blocking the daylight, with your logo in the frost.
What to Put on Each One
Each sign is read from a different distance, so each one gets a different amount of text:
- the flag: your name, or one word about what you sell
- the sidewalk sign: one offer and one reason to come in now
- the window: your hours, your website, and anything people ask you every day
Use the same colors and the same logo on all three. When the flag, the sign and the window look like they belong together, the shop looks established, even if you opened last month.
We'll Design All Three Signs
You don't need to hire a designer for this. We design the flag, the sidewalk sign and the window graphics as one set, so they match each other and your shop.
Would rather design it yourself? Every flag, sidewalk sign and window graphic here can be designed in our online design editor, right in your browser on a computer, with a live 3D preview so you see the finished piece before you order. Designing it yourself also saves 10% on the print (up to $10).
Either way, our team checks every design before it's printed, and you approve a proof first.
Once you approve, your order ships in 1-2 business days and usually arrives 2-5 business days later. Ground shipping is free in the lower 48.
