Let Won Lee sign live

[phatfield]

Friends, I don't like cookie-cutter towns where everything is exactly the same.

Remember the boring blandness of the upscale town in "The Truman Show," starring Jim Carrey? Or the even more sinister sameness of "Brave New World?"

There should be room for individuality, even in places of business.

If the Won Lee owners were proposing to put up a sign now, they should be subject to the same height ordinances governing other businesses in the city. Read the story at http://www.beacononlinenews.com/news/daily/1008

If the ordinances are injust, businesses and citizens should be lobbying for change.

Come to think of it, many are.

But what about a sign that was there long before these ordinances? Are we just going to bring a piece of our city's culture crashing to the ground?

Won Lee's has a cool sign. It looks pretty spectacular at night, when its lights are on. The sign calls us back to the 1950s, when eating out was more of a treat than it is now for many people, who subsist on food from fast food restaurants and pizza delivery.

The Won Lee sign was built when sign were beacons, beckoning people to places they didn't get to frequent often.

It was built when sign-making was still more of an art than just rolling them off the assembly line, or changing black letters on a square white sign. It has the classic 1950s look that's mostly gone. It would be too expensive for a small business to put up that sign now.

With its arrow pointing to the restaurant in grand mid-20th century tradition, the Won Lee sign proudly states, "Here am I. You may pass me by today, but you'll remember me. You, or you -- you'll be back."

A part of DeLand's cultural history shouldn't live only in our memories, when it can stand tall now and tomorrow.

What really cool advertising signs do you remember?

One signpost that sticks out in my mind is the Shoney's "Big Boy" statue at the restaurant I frequented in Richmond, Va. It was classic -- the big boy holding aloft a tray of burgers and fries. Go online to http://flickr.com/photos/bravosixninerdelta/tags/shoneys/ to see photos of similar "big boy" statues, if you've never seen one.

I bet DeLand city officials would tell the restaurant to take it down. "Big Boy" was taller than most of the business signs around DeLand.
_________________
A running commentary on politics, life and assorted topics by the Beacon's award-winner writer and reporter, Pat Hatfield.

[tanner]

It's hard to fault the tire place with the huge tire in front along US 27. You cannot have much doubt about what they offer.

I think our family's favorite was the ice cream place in the shape of an ice cream cone in front of where the old Winn-Dixie (formerly Pantry Pride) used to be. I think there is still one of those over along US 441 in Lake.

Of course that won't pass the city bureaucrats' standards now; when we have people deciding they do not like the shade of cream-colored paint on businesses, you know there are people with too much time on their hands. If it is not sufficiently bland, City Hall will balk.

It's a shame, really. At one time, cities did not try to look all alike; the residents of each had a fondness for ``home'' that was different from other places.

The official goal now is to be indistinguishable from every other place. With such a goal, why not move to New Jersey? Personally, I'd prefer to send the denizens of City Hall to New Jersey and encourage the people with personality to stay here.

[tanner]

[phatfield]

Yeah, I thought the ice cream sign in front of the Winn-Dixie on East New York Avenue was fun, too. A novelty.

Do you think it's because the companies who put up billboards have more money they get to keep them up? More $$ = more influence?

Cash talks, money walks.
_________________
A running commentary on politics, life and assorted topics by the Beacon's award-winner writer and reporter, Pat Hatfield.

[tanner]

Certainly the billboard companies have more money, and thus more influence. Some of it is asserted at the state level; the City is fairly sure (and probably correct) that they cannot directly require billboards to come down.

Over in Lake Helen, it is even worse: the state highway department promised sound barriers when they widened route 4. They delivered only more noise; they cannot even plant trees because they might obscure billboards.

About all the cities get to do is decide whether to permit new billboards. Where a non-conforming billboard is destroyed, replacement is a new billboard. The cities need not permit that.

DeLand, in its wisdom, has decided that billboards get to stay. At least in their recent decision, the billboards got their special exception. You don't see that concern for local business, where there is less influence.

We are free to speculate as to why the large out-of-town billboard company gets the zoning law changed in its favor, and the local business does not even receive a convincing simulation of sympathy. My guess is that the answer to your question is yes, more money equates to more influence.

[tanner]

The city postponed the takings problem until 2013. No doubt we will be having this same discussion in 2012, unless somehow city bureaucrats magically become better educated between now and then.