Aztec, New Mexico is a cute town with some interesting storefronts. There are some especially nice signs outside several shops. It may not be Heaven On Earth as the sign pictured above suggests but it did feel like a welcoming place.

I was especially charmed by this optometrist’s sign. Optik Icare Iwear is the kind of business name I would typically despise but it works well with this sign so I’ll forgive them. In case you are wondering I also hate it when businesses get cute by purposefully misspelling words like Kay’s Kountry Korner. My English major heart withers at the thought. But I digress…..

The star of the show is this old Aztec Theater sign. It opened in 1927 under the name Mayan Theater. By the forties it had been renamed Aztec. Now the theater operates as a concert hall under a different name. I imagine this place has been an important source of entertainment and community for this small town.

The marketing nerd in me absolutely adores interesting signs. Towns that have great signage tend to have more character and businesses that employ some fun and imagination in their signs get bonus points from me.

Do you notice signs? Do they matter to you or are they just clutter?