ok I really want to know...

[Geneva Olson]

Since I've been in this sign shop business, I have had some really unusual orders. Some I've wondered how I got picked to do jobs in the 4th larges city in the nation with thousands of sign shops. So, I want to hear your unusual stories, the ones that stick out. Have you done any graphics for famous people? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Boudica]

Funny you should ask! Just the other day, I answered the phone, someone wanting a couple banners for this weekend. I took his info, he said he would send artwork, then I passed it off to my boss to get him a quote. Come to find out it was DC Glenn - 1/2 of Tag team... these guys:

 

[Geneva Olson]

That's awesome!

 

[Notarealsignguy]

We're sandblasting railing from Burt Reynolds house. Not his anymore but that's as close to fame as I'll ever get.

 

[Black Star]

I have a good story. One day I had a lady call me and ask if I could put vinyl lettering onto a storage bin she just purchased at a thrift store. She said her son was in a band and that she wanted to put the band name on the storage bin. I am in a band and know a lot of others in a band so I thought it was funny. I told her yes and to bring it by. Turns out her son is the drummer for Alice In Chains. This was when Alice In Chains were inactive after their lead singer died. The drummer's Mom had a bunch of her son's music stuff in her attic and wanted to get it out of her house so she bought this storage bin. She was a really sweet lady so I told her I had a band and she came to see me play. When Alice In Chains found a new lead singer, I went to their first concert back as a band and ran into his Mom. I live 2 hours from Seattle so there are local musician stories all over. Funny enough his Mom lives about 15 minutes away and the drummer's sister lives 5 minutes away from me. I never did get to meet the drummer but his Mom got a picture signed for me and brought it back to my shop.

 

[Geneva Olson]

I love Alice in Chains! That's a pretty cool story.

 

[Boudica]

I have a good story. One day I had a lady call me and ask if I could put vinyl lettering onto a storage bin she just purchased at a thrift store. She said her son was in a band and that she wanted to put the band name on the storage bin. I am in a band and know a lot of others in a band so I thought it was funny. I told her yes and to bring it by. Turns out her son is the drummer for Alice In Chains. This was when Alice In Chains were inactive after their lead singer died. The drummer's Mom had a bunch of her son's music stuff in her attic and wanted to get it out of her house so she bought this storage bin. She was a really sweet lady so I told her I had a band and she came to see me play. When Alice In Chains found a new lead singer, I went to their first concert back as a band and ran into his Mom. I live 2 hours from Seattle so there are local musician stories all over. Funny enough his Mom lives about 15 minutes away and the drummer's sister lives 5 minutes away from me. I never did get to meet the drummer but his Mom got a picture signed for me and brought it back to my shop.

I once hung out with Alice in Chains. It was at a local bar, and they were friends with a mutual friend who was playing that night. I spent all evening with them, and didn't even know who they were until my roomate told me after we got home.

 

[Geneva Olson]

Here's mine. We are in Houston. We are really in between downtown Houston and Galveston. I get calls all the time from people who say, "I have a special client I need to get signs or shirts for this important client quickly..." I usually just let it go in one ear and out the other. I'm always pretty skepitcal about the reason they pick my little mom and pop sign shop out of the big box names..Whatever. But last week, I got a call and the chick gives me the speel about very important client....After about 3 days of going back and forth with her on graphics and pricing...Turns out it's Shaq's daughter. Her birthday party was at House of Blues and we put floor graphics on the dance floor. There's my brush to fame.

We also wrapped an FBI surveillance vehicle. The guy looked like a drug dealer.

 

[Boudica]

Here's mine. We are in Houston. We are really in between downtown Houston and Galveston. I get calls all the time from people who say, "I have a special client I need to get signs or shirts for this important client quickly..." I usually just let it go in one ear and out the other. I'm always pretty skepitcal about the reason they pick my little mom and pop sign shop out of the big box names..Whatever. But last week, I got a call and the chick gives me the speel about very important client....After about 3 days of going back and forth with her on graphics and pricing...Turns out it's Shaq's daughter. Her birthday party was at House of Blues and we put floor graphics on the dance floor. There's my brush to fame.

We also wrapped an FBI surveillance vehicle. The guy looked like a drug dealer.

You weren't invited to the party?!

 

[Geneva Olson]

I once hung out with Alice in Chains. It was at a local bar, and they were friends with a mutual friend who was playing that night. I spent all evening with them, and didn't even know who they were until my roomate told me after we got home.

That's a pretty cool story too.

You weren't invited to the party?!

ha! no

 

[James Burke]

This isn't sign related, but my uncle has done colonoscopies for many of Hollywood's most elite.

He says that once he turns the little camera on, they're really no different than a skid-row bum.


Go figure....


JB

 

[rjssigns]

In the past I've lettered yachts for famous people that I can't talk about. That whole gag order thingy. One was kinda weird though. Before I got to the job I was told to not make eye contact, get close to anyone onboard or initiate conversation. Just letter the transom and leave.

Overall I've met some really amazing people. One gentleman in particular was a fighter pilot who flew P-51 Mustangs in WWII and Korea. When he got too old to fly he sold his airplane collection which included a P-51 and bought a yacht. He told me next to an aircraft it's the closest thing available to three dimensional movement.

 

[ProSignTN]

Hung giant flags inside a Crossfit gym a few years ago while Ricky Stienhouse Jr and Danica Patrick worked out with our local celebrity (Rich Froning: 4 time fittest man on the planet). Danica's kinda plain looking without makeup and she didn't look happy. I didn't tell my help till after we left. He would have wet his Carhardts if he'd known who she was.

 

[netsol]

In the late 1970's we were in the commercial video business. Among other things selling & servicing vcr's and camcorders. We regularly did repairs for john belushi & his wife, Judy. Jon used to drink a bit & dropped expensive electronics. She would drive their Winnebago from Long Island. It was the largest one & she would call from a couple blocks away, because she couldn't park it.

Our other celebrity(of sorts) was David copperfield's father who always wanted to tell us how David did his latest trick from those tv specials in the 1970's

 

[Johnny Best]

I've never met them, but I feel I know Gino,Tiki and Gac05. Their famous!

 

[tulsagraphics]

Not business related at all, but this is as close at it gets for me --- Many years ago as a kid I was trying to perform the Karate Kid crane kick while standing on the railing of a neighbor's flatbed trailer (genius!) I got hurt, and the trailer owner who was outside playing his guitar took care of me (a guy renting a home from my grandmother next door). Later I discovered he was Garth Brooks. lol

 

[appropriate1]

I've been doing signs for almost 42 years, so have had more than one brush with fame. At about 20 years old, I hand lettered a panel truck sort of horse drawn wagon that was used in a Kraft Cheese TV commercial. The late Walter Payton, Chicago Bears, had me letter a motorcycle helmet to look like his #34 Bears football helmet. The Honda dealer set it up and sent me to his house, where I did the work sitting on a chair in his garage and talking with him. He remembered my name and rolled down his window to say hi a year later when he saw me digging holes on the side of the road. That felt good. Finally, I lettered three boats for Chicago Bulls Scottie Pippen, as he bought bigger ones. Boatacious was the first name, then 3-Peated with a Chicago skyline behind the lettering, and last was a 52 foot Sea Ray that said Five Rings and had his hand holding a basketball and rings on all five digits. I didn't realize until I was doing it that I had never painted a black man's skin color and that took some thinking to get right. We faxed designs to his hotel and I had his secret name to call his hotel room and get through. He asked me if I was going to watch the game the night of the 5th championship win and he told me I could paint the approved design on his boat the next day, but only if they won the game, obvioulsy. He was very nice to me and signed basketballs for my kids, too.
Someone commented about a famous contact job and being told to not make eye contact. If someone told me that, I think I would have told them to find someone else for the job. We are all the same in the end and who needs to work for people like that. We deserve a little respect for our own talents, too.

 

[mfatty500]

I know Scottie Pippen didn't give you a tip, either, did he? He was famous for going to the casino in Aurora Illinois, and never leave a tip, of any kind. I guess they don't call him no Tippin Pippen, for nothing

 

[JamesLam]

I've had the pleasure to dialogue with a ton of people on this forum that have been honest enough to provide encouragement, insight and education on many subjects. Even a few light-hearted off-colour jokes to liven things up. I'd say fame or no fame, these so-called celebs are lucky they crossed paths with you when they did.

As far as famous people go, nothing really, but occasionally we see some of our stuff show up in the background of tv shows which is kind of cool.

 

[appropriate1]

I know Scottie Pippen didn't give you a tip, either, did he? He was famous for going to the casino in Aurora Illinois, and never leave a tip, of any kind. I guess they don't call him no Tippin Pippen, for nothing

Not a very nice tthing to say about someone you have not dealt with personally. Like I said, he signed three basketballs for me, which were worth about $100 each at the time and I have been offered $300 each for them recently, so I consider that a very good tip.