Inside Detroit: What do the city’s signs tell us about its history?

I recently had the pleasure of spending a long weekend in Detroit. I was already familiar with it’s rich musical history, having spent most of Saturday nights in the late 90s in northern clubs listening to Detroit techno, but I was taken aback to find so many interesting examples of vintage signage around the city. It was bold colours, striking typography and neon treats aplenty.

To me it often feels like the graphic heritage of towns and cities across the UK are fast being erased and becoming homogenised by careless and thoughtless shop facades. Even in the most historic towns, such as Lancaster or Harrogate, commercial properties seem to have free reign, seemingly without any guidance from the local Council, who I can’t help thinking should recognise the beauty and value of traditional high streets and shop parades.

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