“Martin Treu has made a thorough review of a vast literature on buildings and signs as they have combined over time to influence the look of commercial streets in the United States. He is concerned with the look of retail stores, although his purview embraces business buildings generally, including theaters, banks, and office buildings in older traditional business districts, and gas stations and drive-in restaurants along newer highway-oriented commercial strips. At issue is the prevailing tension between what architects and sign makers intended, the former too often ignoring the need for signs in architectural design, and the latter too frequently demeaning architectural styling through aggressive sign overlay. In a brief introduction Treu identifies interest groups essential to the changing…”
Please visit The Journal of American History’s website here to read John Jackle’s entire review of Signs, Streets, and Storefronts.