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(May 2009) posted on Tue Apr 07, 2009

Wood & Wood creates Vermont pub signage.

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By Sparky Potter

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An idea sparks a concept, which ultimately fulfills a need. Oscar Hammerstein wisely said, “If you don’t have a dream, how’s it going to come true?” This level of brainstorming has helped our business succeed for nearly four decades.

Warren, VT’s Sugarbush Ski Resort, a client for 35 years, recently renovated its ski village, and its recently opened Castlerock Pub had become so successful that it needed expansion. This growth required new signage, and the customer also used our logo to develop advertising and print T-shirts and other collateral materials.

Creating a sense of place

Sugarbush’s management team chose an English-style motif -- with a Vermont twist. Enter Jenn Whittingham, our senior designer and art director; Jason Lisai, Sugarbush’s construction VP; and Win Smith, the resort’s owner and general manager. Jenn professed a strong love for English pub signage and provided ample reference material. I also pored over books and photographs from my trips to Great Britain to embark on our design adventure.

In my experience, few things in life offer more excitement than sharing a design goal with your customer – particularly when they’re knowledgeable and appreciate your vision.

As I researched pub signs, I noted a strong tendency toward blade or projecting signs; an object or animal typically serves as the centerpiece. Jason noted the expanded pub’s architecture would feature a gabled roof over the new entrance – a perfect opportunity for a blade sign. With an emerging concept in mind, we consulted Win for input.

First, a brief history about Castlerock. Most New England skiers know about Sugarbush, and the well initiated often test their mettle on one of the five infamously challenging runs accessible from the Castlerock lift. Gnarly rocks and twisted trees cover the Castlerock slope and create a rustic, almost hobbit-like terrain, which the sign needed to reflect. Most pub signs in England reflect their architecture, with wood-and-metal construction and brightly painted surfaces.

At our first onsite meeting with Win, we agreed to fabricate this sign similarly to the one we fabricated for the Gate House base lodge two years earlier. The new blade sign would feature a “knotty pine” face fabricated from HDU, and the same framing and colors as the Gate House Lodge sign. We also decided, in keeping with the desired atmosphere, the sign’s bracket should feature intricate metalwork.