Shopfront signs, wall graphics and event branding in Cape Town city

Signs for older city buildings

Cape Town has many older buildings. These include the painted houses of the Bo-Kaap, the Victorian shopfronts of Woodstock and Observatory and the converted warehouses of Salt River. A sign on one of these buildings must suit the building. Swim Duck Swim, a brand development studio in the Bo-Kaap, has its name lit up in a window. A projecting Brand Development Studio sign on the facade faces people walking along the street.

Before you order, check with your landlord and the City. Many signs need approval under the City of Cape Town’s signage by-law. Buildings in heritage areas such as the Bo-Kaap can need more approvals. Lettering inside a window, or a slim projecting sign, changes an old facade less than a large box sign. It also needs fewer fixings in historic plaster. We put a mock-up of the sign on a photo of your building, which you can show to your landlord and the City.

Shopfronts on busy streets

City streets are narrow and busy. People on the pavement often see your shop at an angle. They do not see it straight on from across the road. Large, simple lettering with strong contrast is easier to read than fine detail. Woodstock Laundry has illuminated gold perspex letters on a matt black fascia. Queen of Steel has gold script lettering with a moth on the glass of its piercing and tattoo shopfront.

When you send us your brief, measure the fascia and send two photos. Take one straight on. Take the other from the pavement a few shops away, because that is how most people will see your sign. See shopfront signs and illuminated signs.

Stores and offices in the CBD and Airport City

Inside a store or office, wall graphics can show your brand. The Fresh Stop at Airport City has a road-trip wall graphic of a green camper van on an open road, with Airport City lettering around it. For offices in the city, we make reception lettering, boardroom murals and frosted glass for partitions. See wall graphics and decals and our offices and corporate page.

Events in the city

Our event branding includes a navy Pick n Pay coffee trailer at an event below Table Mountain. It also includes a Pick n Pay coffee counter with menu boards at an indoor event. City venues often have short set-up times and strict rules about what you can fix and where. Before you choose flags and banners, ask the organiser what is allowed, for example weights, ground spikes or cable ties. See banners, flags and displays or ask for a quote.