Signs, Streets, and Storefronts: A History of Architecture and Graphics Along America’s Commercial Corridors

Signs, Streets and Storefronts has been ten years in the making. Martin Treu traversed the United States countless times seeking out commercial streetscapes and archives that tell the story of America’s love-hate relationship with commerce. He takes his readers on an astounding journey across three centuries of the commercial corridors of America, from colonial crossroads villages to the exit ramp fast food outlets of the 21st century. Sometimes humorous, sometimes mournful, Marty explains why things look the way they do and outlines what we need to do to assure a vibrant human-scaled urbanism for the future.