'We do old'

“Even though our name is Modern we do old. People love retro, people love neon. People like the old marquee lightbulb look. It’s very popular right now.””

Rick Armstrong, Owner of Modern Signs

GULF SHORES, AL – If you’re rolling through the night in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach or even Foley there are flashes around town that may take you back in time.

Back to the times of neon burning through the darkness and flashing lightbulbs enticing customers to stop. Modern Signs of Gulf Shores is making its mark on the business landscape with their classic and award-winning sign designs.

“Even though our name is Modern we do old,” laughs owner Rick Armstrong. “People love retro, people love neon. People like the old marquee lightbulb look. It’s very popular right now.”

The company has won at least five awards from Mid-South Sign Associates in the past few years, drawing accolades for its work on Tacky Jacks in Gulf Shores, Cosmo’s Courtyard in Orange Beach and Moe’s Barbecue in Foley, among others.

Two Watchfire awards honored work on the Sunset Properties sign on Alabama 59 just north of the Intracoastal Waterway bridge and the “toothbrush sign” for Sand Dollar Dental in Foley.

And the company with the modern name has roots in the past. It was founded by Rick’s father, Dick Armstrong, also known as “Chief,” in 1963. He learned to bend neon in the 1950s and started his own company, Modern Signs, soon after.

“The founder of Modern Signs, my grandfather, they all knew him as chief, cool old guy,” Ricky said. “Richard Schwartz called him. He said ‘you think you can make me an OPEN neon sign for Hazel’s?’ My grandfather brought it down there that day and that OPEN sign is still hanging in there today.

“My grandfather sold them the first sign. My dad sold him the second sign and then our generation, we did the digital sign. That’s three generations.”

Rick uses the phrase “labor of love” liberally when he talks about the work him and his twin sons Ricky and Johnny, and his creative partner, Nancy Gilliland, put together.

Gilliland and Rick have collaborated on signs for more than 30 years.

“Every day’s a new day,” Gilliland said. “Something fun, something different. It’s all an expression. There’s just so much that goes into coming up with a design. Rick and I work a lot together, everybody throws in ideas.”

When it comes to the creative side, though everybody points to Nancy as the company’s inspiration.

“Nancy is definitely the creative genius,” Ricky said.

Rick also pointed to Gilliland’s role in the design end.

“A lot of it comes from her desk,” he said. “She brings it all to life.”

The end of the process, Gilliland says, is what brings a smile to her face.

“It’s cool to design something and go out when it goes up, you’re seeing it life size and it’s like ‘Wow,’” she said.

For Rick, he likes to see the client’s smile when the sign goes up for the first time.

“To see the excitement in the customer’s eyes when you put that sign up for them, they get to go out and see their own sign for the first time, that’s what it’s all about,” Rick said. “That’s where the reward is. You get to drive by every day and take a look at it.”

One sign the Armstrongs say is gathering a lot of attention in town is Matt’s Ice Cream’s location near the Gulf Coast Zoo on Alabama 59.

“It has spread like wildfire and his business has taken off,” Ricky said. “Nancy created that logo from scratch. Everything you see on that is original, everything is us. She created that.

“His place has been named the number one ice cream place in the entire state of Alabama.”

A lot of times the signs designed by Modern Signs become the client’s standard.

“Design us a sign and that sign ends up becoming their logo,” Rick said. “Going all the way back to Richard Schwartz’s beginning days. Hazel’s designed by us. Doc’s designed by us, way back when. We’ve been doing business with Richard since 1984.”

Ricky says the company enjoys the challenges brought forth from clients and customers.

“People come to us with designs and questions,” he said. “We have an idea, you’re a sign company, you make stuff. Can you do it? Rarely do we say no.”

Rick likes the teamwork in his company. He says everybody has dual roles to fulfill and all step up to do them to meet the challenges.

“We figure it out together,” he said. “It’s a dual team effort here of old-vintage sign artists.”

And, Ricky says, the awards help with morale and business.

“The entries this year were really good and we’re really, really happy to be winning awards,” he said. “Being a local award-winning company helps bring attention to yourself especially in Facebook and social media.”