Your storefront is a sign in itself. The letters above the door, the graphics on the windows and the hours on the glass tell people walking and driving past who you are, what you sell and whether you are open. The Sign Factory designs, permits, fabricates and installs complete storefront signage for retail stores, restaurants, salons, service businesses and offices in Charlotte, NC and nationwide.
Storefront Signs We Design and Install
- Channel letters: illuminated letters above the entrance, the most recognizable storefront sign and readable day and night.
- Cabinet signs: a lit box with your full logo, a cost-effective choice for shopping center fascia.
- Blade signs: signs that project from the wall so people walking along the sidewalk can see you from a distance.
- Window graphics: printed and cut vinyl, frosted film and perforated window film that advertise from the outside while staff can still see out. See vinyl window perf on storefront windows.
- Door vinyl: your logo, hours, phone number and website on the entrance door.
- Seasonal and promotional graphics: window displays that change with the season or the sale. See holiday storefront window graphics.
Designing a Storefront That Gets Noticed
A good storefront works at three distances. From the road, the main sign has to be large and simple enough to read at speed. From the parking lot, window graphics should tell people what you offer. At the door, hours and contact details should be easy to find. We design all three together so the colors and typefaces match your brand, and you see renderings of the full storefront before anything is built. Read about storefront graphics for Charlotte retail stores.
Shopping Center Rules and Permits
Most shopping centers and mixed-use buildings set sign criteria for their tenants: the size of the sign band, the type of letters, the colors and whether signs can be lit. On top of that, the city or town requires a permit for permanent exterior signs. We read your lease's sign criteria, design to them, get landlord approval and handle the permit, so your sign is approved the first time and ready for your opening day.
Planning Around Your Opening Date
For a new store, signage is usually one of the last steps before opening, and permits take time. Tell us your opening date when you sign your lease and we will plan the design, landlord approval, permit, fabrication and installation backward from it. If the permanent sign is still in production, temporary window graphics or a banner can announce your opening in the meantime.
One Look for Every Location
Retail brands with several stores need every storefront to look the same. We work from your brand guidelines, adapt the signs to each landlord's criteria and each city's code, and manage installation at every site through our brand rollout service.
Lighting Your Storefront
Many customers drive past in the evening, and a dark storefront looks closed. Front-lit channel letters are the brightest option, halo-lit letters give a more upscale look, and a lit cabinet shows a full logo at a lower cost. LED lighting keeps running costs low and lasts for years. Some shopping centers set rules for when signs must be lit and how bright they can be, and we design to them.
Window Graphics That Sell
Windows are some of the most valuable advertising space you have, and they are often wasted. Large, simple graphics that say what you sell work better than small text that tries to say everything. Perforated window film shows a full image from outside while still letting light in and letting staff see out. Seasonal graphics can be swapped a few times a year to keep the storefront fresh and promote what is new.
Storefront Signs FAQ
Do I need a permit for a storefront sign?
Permanent exterior signs such as channel letters and blade signs almost always need a permit, and shopping centers also need landlord approval. Window graphics usually do not need a permit, but some towns limit how much of a window can be covered. We check the rules for your address.
Can you remove the previous tenant's sign?
Yes. We remove old signs, patch the wall and install your new sign, which is a common first step in a new lease.
How long does a storefront sign take?
Window graphics can be ready in days. An illuminated sign usually takes a few weeks after landlord approval and the permit, so start the process as early as you can.
Do you install outside Charlotte?
We are based in Charlotte, NC and install nationwide through our network of more than 300 installation partners.
How much of my window can I cover?
It depends on your town and your lease. Some places limit window signs to a share of the glass. We check the rules and design graphics that make the most of the space you are allowed.
Plan Your Storefront
Send us a photo of your storefront and your logo and we will show you how it could look. Call 704-321-0040 or request a quote.