Wall graphics are always a great way to take a brick-and-mortar space to the next level without breaking the bank. A business owner simply needs (relatively) blank walls, a vision, and someone who knows what to do. That’s where the sign shops come in.
In this case, Bredwell, a custom meal restaurant for dogs (yes, you read that correctly…think Chipotle, but for your K-9) knew that their specialty business had to offer engaging and attractive graphics for their customers. It’s the nature of their business, and you can have a lot of fun with dogs in designs after all.
Graphic Image Corporation in Orland Park, Illinois was called upon to install the graphics in Bredwell’s storefront in the neighboring town of Barrington. The shop was involved very early in Bredwell’s development; in fact, the site survey was done while the physical storefront was still under construction.
“There were lots of obstacles in the way for taking proper measurements on their walls, which wasn’t ideal, but easy enough to navigate around. Well when it came to the subway tile graphic wall (see photo on page 18) you see, the two shelving units were not yet installed when I was onsite taking measurements,” says Graphic Image Corp. Vice President Frank Markasovic. “This mural was to be installed between the not-yet-existent shelves, installed flush to each edge and flush to the top and bottom of the wall.”
“Without the shelves physically being there, I had to measure what I thought were the exact spots. I even checked it with the customer. I based the mural measurements off of those dimensions, and we produced the graphics for installation.”
Markasovic continues, “Once we got onsite, the storefront buildout was complete and the shelving units were finally installed…only about 9.5 inches further apart than anticipated and measured. Of course! We all had a little laugh about the predicament, but in the end, we finished installing the other murals and came back a day later with properly sized graphics for this area.”
“Our client was happy not to be delayed for opening, and we were happy with how everything turned out.”
The project used about 200 square feet of vinyl, and the graphics were printed using an HP Latex 800W printer onto 3M Scotchcal Graphic Film Series IJ40C vinyl with 3M Scotchcal Overlaminate 8510 applied for the finish.
For installation of these wall murals, Graphic Image Corporation used a pretty standard, non-fancy setup. “We always hang our panels with the help from a laser level to ensure perfect leveling of the graphics. We usually always cut down our panels with our CNC cutter,” says Markocovic. “We just used our tape measurers, squeegees, knives, a blowtorch for post-heating, and ladders to access the tops of the walls.”
Bredwell prides itself on serving freshly made meals for dogs with the highest quality ingredients. Because of this, their interior had to match the top-notch vibes the business aims to achieve. The graphics were printed to match exact color specifications and the installation was ready on time. What more can a customer ask for?
This type of installation serves as a great reminder to market your sign shop’s wall graphic installation services to local businesses and restaurants. As stated above, in terms of renovations, it’s a relatively cheap and easy way to substantially change the aura of an indoor space. Also the customers will appreciate that the business has invested in creating a more immersive and enjoyable experience.
Using wall graphics, a small business can create a business history timeline for a blank wall, highlight a mission statement, or simply feature encapsulating designs as Bredwell did with their graphic of the bustling, barking street outside their shop.
Take the time to put some marketing materials about your graphic installation capabilities together before the new year and make a note to push the services in 2023.
