Neon signs are a bright and dazzling way to attract business. A neon “Open” sign, blinking outside a storefront is an effective advertising tool, providing high visibility and traffic to any business.

Handcrafted neon signs have been around for hundreds of years, and with the improvement of manufacturing methods over time, open signs are available in plenty of designs and varieties. The classic “OPEN” sign is a rectangle with blue bordering and red lettering. The latest open signs have more prominent coloring, as the tubes containing the gas are colored with ink. There have been many variations to this, such as barber shops signs sporting a pair of scissors or a blow dryer and a fish food restaurant sign with a fish on it. Different companies have different specialties, and two important companies in the field are Fallon and Everbrites.

The popularity of the open sign dates back to the strip malls of the immigrant business owners who wanted to let people know that they were open for business. The glowing signs would be visible to the pedestrian traffic as well as car cruisers. Open signs are also beneficial for businesses when they are open during periods different from their regular working hours. For instance, a coffee shop is open late one chilly Saturday night when people would otherwise assume that they are closed; their glowing sign lets in business.

Competition also leads to more sign sales .Two business establishment of a similar field on the same street will both have open signs. This is because if one does not have a sign, the other one with the open sign glowing brightly invites in potential customers.