New User - wholesale signs & routing

[Brian Stoddard]

I have seen plenty of sign forums that are really boring but this is really cool - combining all of my interests here together.

I have a recently sold my commercial sign shop after 15 years to get away from having employees and get back to what I enjoy - making signs.

I have started a couple of new ventures along the same lines -

Wholesale signage, focusing on dimensional and routed work - Northwest Wholesale Signs
Contract Manufacturing, CNC outsourcing,murals, design, and artwork - Me Build Stuff
I have a shop at home and get to work in a great environment and be with my family more (homeschool 4 kids) so I am loving it.

What I am looking for now is ideas on who to market my cnc work to - either 2D or 3D - I am thinking cabinet shops to start but there has to be a lot more people out there that outsource CNC routing. Any ideas would be helpful

[Joe Pelonio]

Funny, we're in cities next to each other. I was in business in Bellevue for 14 years before moving to my house, and am doing a lot more wholesale work now, especially laser work. I still do vinyl and sandblasted and still do some retail. Since I didn't sell my business I was able to keep my existing customers. I'm also doing installations for other shops. For the most part, I have been able to talk people into laser work so I don't have or need a CNC, but if I do get that kind of job I'll keep you in mind.

[Brian Stoddard]

Go figure, I started in Sammamish at my home before opening a shop down in Issaquah - The Sign Zone. I really wanted to just scale back and keep my customers but could not get over leaving 5 employees high and dry so I sold. Its been kind of nice starting over though - knowing a whole lot more than the first time.

[Joe Pelonio]

Were you on 244th?

I always hired people who were students at the Seattle Art institute, so they'd eventually graduate and move on.

Not long before I moved here I fired the last employee for theft so there
were none left at that time. Two of them who are now working as graphic designers elsewhere are still available to me on an "as needed" basis.

Among other things I'm doing the installation of all the signs at the new high school between Eastlake and Skyline. Sounds boring but it's actually kind of fun, working from the blueprint to identify each room.