Featured Project: Missouri Jeweler Sees Sales Rise with Watchfire Sign

Danville, Illinois-based LED sign maker Watchfire Signs says that a Missouri couple saw their sales rise 20 percent in the first year after moving their jewelry store into a new location and installing one of its LED signs.

Rick and Jane McElvaine bought Maxon Fine Jewelry in Springfield, Missouri, from the company’s founder in 1994. At that point the business had been around almost a quarter-century.

Then in 2018 the couple were finally able to move out of their old location and into their own free-standing building. The only drawback was an easement in front of the building next to the road with a large billboard on it.

“We were excited that we would finally be able to have our own sign in front of the new building, and knew that with the proximity to the digital billboard we would have to do something with our sign that would make us stand out,” says Jane McElvaine.

The McElvaines contacted Springfield Sign, a company that has been serving the community for more than three decades. Springfield Sign designed a double-face pylon sign with the Maxon name and logo in reverse halo, titanium polished brass letters. A diamond on the logo was constructed of illuminated white acrylic. Below the logo are back-to-back 10mm digital message centers from Watchfire Signs.

“Our message centers really help us stand out,” McElvaine says, adding that she was surprised at how easy it was to program content using Watchfire’s Ignite software. “The signs are really flexible and allow us to use video and high quality photographs to showcase our jewelry.”

Sales increased by 20 percent the first year as the location and signs were able to reach the company’s regular customers and attract some new customers as well.