Landmark Signs Project Celebrates the American Worker

Another bistro-style restaurant opening with the standard-issue fare of brick-oven pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and soups would generate little more than a collective yawn. However, Mike Leeson, pro-
prietor of Valparaiso, IN’s Industrial Revolution Eatery & Grille, developed a commanding brand with entrée names, décor and – most importantly – signage that support its slogan, “Saluting America’s Greatness.”

Landmark Signs (Chesterton, IN) created a three-sign program for Industrial Revolution’s completely remodeled building. Using Tim Postma’s initial logo design, Landmark’s Jill Marrs optimized it by selecting materials and lighting that would accentuate it once translated into a sign. She perfected the design using Gerber Scientific Products’ Omega 5.0 and Adobe Illustrator.

Fabricators built the signfaces’ top sections, which provide a fine personification of the diligent, resilient American factory worker, from clear Lexan® polycarbonate, which it routed on its Gerber Sabre 408 CNC machine. They decorated the signface by applying 3M’s 230 translucent vinyl, which was printed on an EFI-VUTEk 3360 EC solvent-ink printer, to the rigid sheet.

The middle layer was constructed from 3A Composites’ Alucobond® layered, aluminum-composite material with acrylic, push-through letters that identify the business. The section also features “bolt covers” that were printed on a dimensional, applied layer of Alucobond. The bottom layer was fabricated with routed polycarbonate decorated with rust brown-colored, 3M translucent material. GE’s T8 fluorescent lamps illuminate the interior panels of the 9 ft. x 11 ft., 6-in. signs, and 8,300K EGL white-neon tubing provides a dramatic, cove-lighting effect around the signs’ far corners.

Leeson accentuated the signage by purchasing life-sized fiberglass sculptures of 1920s ironworkers, which were installed on the roof. He also owns a steel company, and had a steel framework attached to the building, which serves as the backdrop for the restaurant’s distinctive signage.