Do stores get their signs (name of store) off the day they move out, ordinarily?

It really depends on the store.

There was an ice cream shop near me (mom & pop) that closed probably five years ago. The sign is still on the building; it has never been rented since then.

Toys R Us is closing this week – I wonder how long it will take down the signs. My guess is that they’ll be down in a week or two.

We’ve had a Golden Corral close, told the workers when showed up for work, they were closing. The sign company was in the parking lot, signs gone in two hours. One of the local Rite-Aid drug stores closed, when they put the locks on the front door the signs had already been removed.

My Toys R Us closed about six weeks ago. Passed it today and the sign was still up.

I had to help “break-down” a bunch of theaters. These were massive buildings with tons of signage. We grabbed projectors and poppers and seats, and even the garage door openers that controlled the masking.

But yeah, the signage. Not our problem. And the buildings were so specialized most were torn down.

https://imgur.com/a/VWz3N61

So many great memories. But 98% was left behind and dozed to make a parking lot.

Around three years a Papa Murphys replaced a Little Ceasers near my apartment in a little strip mall. Little Ceasers sign is still there in the lighted signbox thing with slots on the corner.

Ok, @All, but why do they still say up? Isn’t it counter productive to the stores themselves? And doesn’t the city hall have something to do with it? People get misled by the sign, and doesn’t the city get complaints? People see the signs from far enough away only to get there and find out they could have gone to the other place before they closed (whatever the closing time is.)

@flo – in some cases the original company went bankrupt, so there is no money to pay a sign company to remove the sign. And the property manager/landlord, who already lost the tenant, is not going to pay.

Interesting.

It might depend on the owner of the building. In most of the shopping centers, the owner prefers the signs stay up because it helps to keep them from looking like ghost centers. So, they don’t require the old sign to come down until they are ready to put up the new business’ sign.

I’ve noticed it as well.

When I worked for a large hotel corporation in North America, the agreement with the franchises (a hotel owned by someone else who paid a monthly fee to carry the brand name), that should they leave the brand family, there was a certain time period where everything affiliated with that hotel chain needed to be gone.

The owner would be sent a checklist with reasonable deadlines for having it removed. When I was a hotel inspector for the company, if a de-branded hotel was in our territory, we were asked to check in on that hotel after the deadlines and report on the status.

Alright, but doesn’t the business that moved need everyone to know as soon as possible that it has moved?

@Flo , why? As soon as the person gets to the front door and finds it locked, with the lights off, it will be pretty evident. Why spend money taking down a sign when the store’s status is obvious.

Especially true if they went out of business.

@elbanditoroso But what’s obvious is that it’s misleading, that’s the whole thing. It says the store is here, open, when it’s not. And re. the customers, it’s not about the people who just happen to pass by, and notice and didn’t need to buy anything or it’s not important enough, etc., it’s for the rest.

….Re. “It says the store is here, open,...” by “open” I don’t mean the hours of operation).

@Pied_Pfeffer ” there was a certain time period where everything affiliated with that hotel chain needed to be gone.” How much time?

@flo It depends upon the item. For example, it doesn’t take long to clear out the guest rooms with any logoed expendables (soap, shampoo, matchbooks, etc.).

The hotel’s computer system and equipment is removed by the Corp. the day the termination date goes into effect. Guests with future reservations are notified so that they can make alternative arrangements.

Signage (billboards, interstate, and outdoor signs) have a bit longer as it is something that needs to be done by by an outside source. I don’t remember the exact amount of time, but it was months, possibly three.

@Pied_Pfeffer Ok, interesting. I just find I see them more often than ever.

@flo Trust me; I know how you feel. I suspect that many others feel the same way.

There is no simple answer to your question. It all depends upon the scenario. Each one is different.

If you want to take action, then contact the local council and share your concern. It may not change the situation immediately, but there is a peace of mind in alerting the authorities. At best, you may learn about the process involved.

@Pied_Pfeffer Makes sense. Much appreciated