Photo Op: Life Is Wonderful
I can’t help but feel somebody at Mid-West Wholesale Lighting is pulling the collective leg of Thai Town here. Is this an official management credo or the work of a disgruntled employee? Is business truly great? Are people in fact terrific, or are they simply “no good” as Nick Cave claims? Is life truly wonderful? This is an old saying typically quipped by regional salespeople and real estate agents. You can’t sell lighting with a frowny face, so why not print out the credo and affix it with tape to your Hollywood Boulevard frontage? Share your joie de vivre with the locals!
While the credo is by no means new or groundbreaking, the host of philosophical conondrums the sign conjures up (along with its xeroxed treatment and location) naturally elevated it to instant photo-of-week status. This is actually one of two window signs outside the establishment. The second sign has fallen down (photo) and none of the great-businessed, wonderful-lifed, terrific people inside appear to give enough of a crap to re-affix it to the middle of the window with great, terrific, wonderful Scotch Tape.
There’s something beautiful and poignant about that fallen sign, though. It’s tough to put a finger on it. Gazing at it there on the ground, propped up by the window barricades, I couldn’t help but agree that life truly is wonderful.
Bonus Photos
Mid-West Lighting Signage, 9-8-2005
Harvard House is directly across the street from Mid-West Lighting. Their signs are notably different.
well, LOSt ANd JEALOUS, this company has been in business for over 40 years because Business is Great, People are Terrific, and Life is Wonderful. An element deeply missing in your assesment.
p.s. sign is rehung – being that it has been in that window for years sometimes the longevity of the tape can’t compete with the longevity of the sentiment.
bz
“BZ” –
Calm down. I did an honest double-take when I walked past the sign last September, and didn’t (fully) intend to convey that anything the sign says is not true. I for one certainly agree that Life is Wonderful. Business and people on the other hand…yeah…those vary in my book, but I try to give them the benefit of the doubt whenever possible.
Thanks for the update. If I get over to Thai Town anytime soon, I’ll take a new photo. Rock on Mid-West Lighting et al.
oh – and fyi, your window sign is viral. Other people love it too.