Economy
The Sandwich Board Makes a Comeback
Often banned by municipalities for safety reasons, simple A-frame sidewalk signs should be allowed to return, within reason.
Rethinking allowed uses in city rights-of-way can change the look and feel of streets in unexpected fashion. One example is the impact of sandwich board signs, something I first noticed last year when researching the key role of corners in rethinking neighborhood spaces.
Sandwich board signs, also known as A-frames, can be easily traced to nineteenth century urban roots. Local businesses rely on them for advertising and way-finding, though they impede pedestrian traffic, block sight lines, or distracts the vehicular traffic passing by.