Illuminated Blade Sign for Emergency Pizza | Flexlume

Project Background

Emergency Pizza is a neighborhood favorite on Seneca Street in Buffalo, NY, and its regulars are a big part of why. When the owners secured state funding to take on a full restoration of their storefront, they wanted the building to tell the whole block something simple: this business is here to stay.

That message was particularly important on their stretch of Seneca Street, where a number of nearby storefronts have recently been boarded up. Emergency Pizza’s owners saw the restoration as a way to stand apart, and a large restaurant sign was the piece that would pull it all together. They brought in Flexlume to design, fabricate and install the illuminated blade sign.

Key Challenges in Designing a Blade Sign for a Brick Storefront

The project came with several challenges:

• A Sign Sized to the Building: The sign had to read from down the street while still fitting a brick façade that runs from the architectural molding at the roofline down to the storefront windows.
• A Name Built for Motion: The word "Emergency" was made for flashing lights. The owners wanted the letters to animate in a specific pattern, so each letter had to be controllable on its own.
• A Projecting Sign on Masonry: A double-sided blade sign extends out from the building, which means the mounting structure has to be anchored securely into the brick.
• The Final Piece of a Larger Restoration: The sign was the last element of a full storefront update. It needed to look like part of the restored building, not something added on afterward.

Solution: A Custom Illuminated Blade Sign by Flexlume

Flexlume designed a double-sided cabinet blade sign that runs vertically down the façade, pairing a classic storefront format with modern illuminated channel letters.

• Visible From Both Directions: The sign projects out from the building, so drivers and pedestrians coming either way on Seneca Street can spot it well before they reach the door.
• Lettering That Commands Attention: Bold red letters spell out "EMERGENCY" down the length of the sign, with "PIZZA" in white at the base.
• A Sequence That Matches the Name: A controller animates "EMERGENCY" one letter at a time, then flashes the full word before starting over, while "PIZZA" stays lit at all times.
• Built to Belong on the Building: The black cabinet sign and mounting hardware were finished to sit cleanly on the brick, so the sign reads as part of the restoration.

Outcome: A Restaurant Sign That Completes the Restoration

The new sign completes Emergency Pizza's storefront restoration, and it fits the building like it was always meant to be there.

The sign was ultimately exactly what the owner of Emergency Pizza imagined. In fact, the first time he saw the sign lit up in Flexlume's shop, he was overcome with emotion at seeing his vision brought to life so completely.

Now it's the restaurant sign people notice on Seneca Street. For the owners, a sign at this scale also says something to their customers: Emergency Pizza isn't going anywhere, and the neighborhood can count on it being open for lunch or dinner for years to come.

Ready to Bring Your Storefront Back to Life?

Whether you’re restoring a storefront or opening a new location, the right illuminated blade sign helps customers find you and tells them you’re here to stay. Request a quote from Flexlume and work with one team to design, build and install your sign from the first rendering to the final connection.