A shopping center does not need to look neglected for its signs to become a problem. Often, the first signs of age are small. One tenant panel has faded. Several cabinet lights are no longer working. New businesses have installed signs that do not quite match the rest of the property. The monument sign may still be standing, but it no longer presents the center as a well managed destination.
For property managers in Phoenix and Mesa, a coordinated sign refresh can improve the appearance of a center without requiring every sign to be replaced.
Begin With the View From the Street
A useful sign review should begin where customers first see the property. Drive past the center from both directions during the day, then return after dark. This provides a more realistic picture than inspecting every sign from the parking lot.
Can drivers read the center name early enough to turn safely? Are tenant names visible from the main road? Do trees, parked vehicles, or newer buildings block important signs? At night, look for uneven illumination, dark letters, and tenant panels that are much brighter or dimmer than the others.
The monument or pylon sign deserves particular attention because it often forms a customer’s first impression of the entire property.
Bring Tenant Panels Back Into Balance
Businesses change, and shopping center signs frequently show the history of those changes. One panel may use a condensed font, another may contain a complicated logo, and another may have colors that are difficult to read in bright Arizona sunlight.
Updating tenant panels together creates a more orderly appearance. This does not mean removing each company’s identity. Good sign planning allows each business to remain recognizable while maintaining consistent panel sizes, spacing, lighting, and general readability.
Property managers should also keep accurate sign criteria for incoming tenants. Clear requirements help prevent rushed installations that later need correction.
Inspect the Signs Above Each Storefront
Storefront signs should be reviewed for more than appearance. Missing faces, loose trim, damaged returns, staining, faded paint, and failed lighting can all make a business look closed or poorly maintained.
Arizona heat places continual stress on sign materials and electrical components. If several signs are of a similar age, repairing them as part of one organized project may be more practical than arranging separate service visits whenever another problem appears.
Include Directional Signs in the Plan
Customers also judge a shopping center by how easily they can move through it. Directional signs may be needed for rear entrances, loading areas, additional parking, accessible routes, and businesses located away from the main drive.
These signs should use simple wording and be placed where a driver actually needs to make a decision. A beautifully designed directional sign is of little value if customers have already passed the correct turn before they can read it.
Refresh Your Shopping Center Signs With Western Signs and Lighting
Western Signs and Lighting designs, fabricates, installs, and maintains commercial signs throughout Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Tempe, and Glendale. Our team can assess an existing shopping center and help identify which signs should be repaired, refaced, updated, or replaced.
Call Western Signs and Lighting at 480 831 8600 to request a commercial sign estimate.
References
City of Phoenix, Signs
https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/pdd/commercial-multifamily-building/commercial-plan-reviews-permits/signs.html
City of Mesa, Sign Regulations
https://www.mesaaz.gov/Business-Development/Development-Services/Building-Permit-Plan-Review/Sign-Regulations
City of Gilbert, Signs
https://www.gilbertaz.gov/departments/development-services/planning/signs
Western Signs Is A Local Sign Design & Installation Company In Phoenix
Our sign installation services have been created for customers all over the State of Arizona Including Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Tempe & Glendale. Receive a free commercial signage quote anywhere in the Phoenix Valley by giving us a call today at (480) 831-8600.
