A stroll down Banff Avenue passes many of the shop’s signs.
The path to future success
In May 2017, Whan stepped further away from the business. He moved into an angler’s lodge in Crowsnest Pass so he could spend most of his time fishing.
The new owners did not miss a beat, growing the business by 15 per cent in their first year and hiring Brett Foskett to oversee local business development and Dean Keller for woodworking and installations.
“Banff is always changing, with businesses moving in and moving out, providing us with local clientele,” says Brennan. “We are now setting our sights on nearly doubling our sales by expanding in the Bow Valley and selling to other sign companies.”
Also, this summer, Brennan and Rayner plan to revive the Banff School of Sign Arts with a new curriculum, combining traditional signmaking skills with lessons about how to run a successful, profitable shop. Whan intends to return to teach some of the courses as a guest.
“Who wouldn’t like to travel to Banff to learn?” says Brennan. “We will tailor the material for smaller sign companies. Some of it will be taught at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and the rest at the shop.”
“Walking down Banff Avenue is like looking at a portfolio of this company’s heritage and the direction it will take in the future,” says Rayner. “It’s exciting to be part of this and to continue the craft out here.”
Customizing a famous brand for Banff
For more information, visit www.banffsignco.com.
