We continue the series on walking Buffalo, from the intrepid couple who walked every day—no matter the weather—in the first 30 months of Covid. They think (without being systematic) they walked every street in Buffalo, and many in other cities and towns, taking some 20,000 photos, some of which are shared in this series. While not itineraries, we hope to encourage others to “walk the walk,” to see, observe and appreciate Buffalo—and beyond. William Graebner and Dianne Bennett are also 5 Cent Cine’s film critics, here.
Today’s Photo-Essay: “Reading” the Signs of the City
The word “reading” has two meanings. One is literal, as in reading a newspaper or a book. The other meaning, courtesy of literary criticism, is to interpret, to give meaning to a text. We’re using both these meanings in today’s photo-essay, as we “read” a few of the signs we’ve seen and found entertaining on our walks through the streets of Buffalo—and Beyond.
Some signs are surprisingly direct, even confrontational. An enterprise tucked in on DuPont Street, just northeast of the Jefferson Avenue and East Ferry Street intersection, was concerned that the public might misinterpret their business. Hence the sign: “We are not Buffalo Reuse. No Free Stuff.”
The area has its share of “keep out” (and related) signs, but few homeowners have a collection of warnings as vast as one we found on the West Side:
A small business on South Park Blvd. in Niagara Falls wanted to make sure that their clientele was of a certain intelligence:
One imagines public parks as places of play, of freedom. But it would be hard to find a park that doesn’t have a list of unacceptable behaviors, things you can’t do, or aren’t supposed to do. One wonders how some of these prohibitions were to be enforced, if enforced at all. But there they are, instructions in a Tonawanda park. Not only “No Bullying,” but no “running,” which seems unduly restrictive. Then there is the rather vague injunction to use the equipment “properly.”
Sometimes a sign that says “no”-something can make one want to do just that. I observed this anti-authority act at the Outer Harbor:
Two of our “finds” involve the police. One is posted on the grounds where the Buffalo Police train their dogs. It’s described as the “K-9 Prayer,” but it isn’t really a prayer, and it’s entirely from the perspective of a dog.
We found this one on the rear fender of a vehicle parked in the Old First Ward: “If you see a cop, warn a brother,” complete with the Warner Brothers (warn-a-brother) logo. Clever!
This expression of anti-authority is on a sign along the CSX tracks near Hertel Avenue. The fun is in the spelling, of course.
Signs that deal with race in the East Side Black community can be serious, or humorous, or both. In the first category is “The Black Code”—a contemporary document, but also a reference to the Black Codes passed in some southern states following the Civil War, restricting the rights of those formerly enslaved. We found it not far from the Utica Street Metro station. It begins: “We DO NOT steal from one another.”
We always enjoy going by Drayton’s Steak House on Fillmore Avenue, with its affirmative sign, in the form of a pun.
The streets of any city are filled with nostalgic references, signs that refer to what was, or what could have been. There used to be a major Goodwill facility in the city. But it’s gone now, leaving only a sign, and one in bad shape at that. We wish we could remember where we found it in November of 2020.
This sign on Jefferson Avenue likely dates to the 1990s, when Beverly Gray was twice elected to the Buffalo Common Council:
Businesses often have entertaining signs. A furniture store on Broadway invoked Monty Hall’s iconic television show, “Let’s Make a Deal,” which first aired in 1963. The phrase “Come on Down [Buffalo],” on the left side of the sign, may refer to the standard advertising come-on, which first appeared in 1901, or to the game show “The Price is Right,” which aired in 1983.
A couple of East Side eateries have worthy slogans. The Perry Mini-Mart and Grill (which likely would have been torn down if the Bills stadium had been built in the city) features “We Cook…You’re Hooked.” “Everything is Slammin!” at Ike and BG’s Restaurant on Genesee Street, where what’s “slammin’” is barbecue.
In a vastly different vein, a psychic on Elmwood Avenue in Kenmore greeted potential customers with a touch of the clairvoyant mixed with gentle criticism: “I see you’re arrived without an appointment….”
One of our all-time favorites is less about business than workers. It can be found on the back of the building that houses the employees of the City of Buffalo Impound Lot on Dart Street (and visible from the Scajaquada Expressway): “Your Ten Best Tools/No Extras in Stock.”
It’s not clear what they do at Roy’s, but we’ve enjoyed their billboard (and similar messages at other companies). Whenever we see that a business is hiring for “ALL POSITIONS,” we can’t help but imagine going in and applying for the job of “boss.”
Most signs have a certain permanence, but our final offering is special because it’s inherently ephemeral.
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo: Look Up! Roofs and Roofers
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo: Buffalo’s Mini-Marts
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo: Remembering 9/11
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo: Street Humor
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo: The Yard as Spectacle
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo: Beware of (the) Dog
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo: Halloween
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo: Little-Known Trails and Paths
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo – Church Board Advice
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Coping with Covid
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Planters
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Christmas Tidings
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Murals… Off-the-Beaten Path
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Scajaquada Creek
How to Take a Walk in Buffalo: Block Clubs
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Black Lives Matter
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Once a Bar
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Queen City Sculpture
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Flying the Flag – Education 101
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: (Alternative) Places to Hang
How to Take a Walk—in Buffalo: Those Long Buildings, on the Corner
© William Graebner