Selkirk Signs recently collaborated on a full signage package at Encore Brewing Co. in Cranbrook, B.C. Photos courtesy Selkirk Signs
By Carly McHugh
Nowadays, nostalgia is all the rage. Not only do these reminders of the past allow us to look back fondly at the best and brightest moments of our lives, but they also provide comfort in times of uncertainty.
For one of their recent projects, Selkirk Signs sought to combine this trend with another one of today’s more popular havens: the local craft brewery.
Operating from a restored 1960s bowling alley, Encore Brewing Co. in Cranbrook, B.C., gives patrons a blast from the past, featuring eight lanes, an arcade, and plenty of room to socialize.
The brewery features a variety of signage, both inside and outside. The project began last fall when Selkirk Signs met with Zach Silver of Reflect Design Co. With the concepts already in place, the shop’s design and drafting departments collaborated with Silver to create manufacturable pieces of signage that matched Encore’s vision and Selkirk’s specifications. Since the project was local, it was easy for some of the key employees involved in the project to visit the space and ensure they had the correct measurements for each product. The overarching goal was to create a colourful, retro theme which evoked a nostalgic atmosphere throughout the venue.
With the designs finalized, Selkirk Signs began building the signage for the interior and exterior of the brewery. Outside, they constructed custom illuminated channel letters, blade signs, and a large channel shape. Inside, they created more unique illuminated channel letters, as well as shapes, push-through letters, and wayfinding signage for the arcade and bowling areas. The team also built a custom curved cabinet to be mounted above the bar and shoe rental counter, where it would display the beer menu and other information.
The channel letters were crafted from aluminum and acrylic. The letters and logos printed on them were designed to match Encore’s brand colours. The custom channel letter and push-through arcade sign was made from a channel shape logo and arcade character, with computer numerical control (CNC)-routed push-through lettering—also designed to match the brewery’s custom colours. Illuminated from behind, they create a vibrant and eye-catching effect. Constructing the curved cabinet sign proved to be a challenging task for the team, but it paid off with a visually striking display which adds to the retro feel of the brewery.
Since the project included many different types of signage, it required input from various departments in the shop’s facility. On top of design, drafting, CNC routing, and channel letter fabrication, the process involved welding, painting, graphic application, and crating.
Once the signs were ready, Encore took them over for the installation process. With the shop’s team checking in along the way, everything went smoothly, and the complete signage package was up in time for the brewery’s opening this past March.
Selkirk Signs recently collaborated on a full signage package at Encore Brewing Co. in Cranbrook, B.C.
