By Amber Larkins, OOH Today
The Comedy Store in West Hollywood is a legendary address that will soon have legendary signage to match.
8433 W. Sunset Boulevard was initially built as Club Seville in 1935. Its Crystal Marine Room featured a crystal dance floor with subsurface fish, fountains, and colored lights. From the 1940s to the 1960s, the location was home to Ciro’s Supper Club. It has been described as one of “the” places for movie people to be seen. The venue was frequently visited by the top celebrities of the time.
The Comedy Store itself was founded in the 1970s by Comedian Sammy Shore, his wife Mitzi, and comedy writer Rudy DeLuca. It was the first all stand-up comedy nightclub in the world, according to its website
Orange Barrel Media (OBM) is working to give the location a brand-new, double-sided digital billboard sign. OBM hopes the enhancements will reinforce The Comedy Store’s standing as a Sunset Strip destination.
“In addition to the sign, we are expanding the streetscape in front of the façade, adding plants and seating. All of which will lead to a more comfortable queuing experience for Comedy Store visitors, more sidewalk access, and a generally more inviting experience for pedestrians on Sunset,” Clay Collett, Senior Development Director at Orange Barrel Media said.
The sign draws inspiration from the Comedy Store’s Art Deco Interior. It is framed in LED scrolls that echo the neon scrolls flanking the iconic main stage.
“We designed the sign to draw from The Store’s elements in part because of the historic nature of the building, but also to make the sign fee contextual to such a special place,” Collett said.
The Comedy Store project is unique. The design and transformation of the space in front of The Store will provide a singular experience that will bring a dynamic moment to the Sunset Strip. The overall caliber is consistent with other OBM projects in the area.
“The City of West Hollywood, under its Sunset Boulevard Arts & Advertising Program, has built a truly innovative system that allows for exciting and creative digital signage projects, and OBM has been fortunate enough to have several projects awarded under the program—each one as exciting and unique as the Comedy Store,” Collett said.
Working with historical buildings like The Comedy Store brings a unique challenge to a signage project. There is an additional layer of public scrutiny. The Comedy Store is an eligible historical resource, which means the City’s Historic Preservation Commission reviews any significant changes to the property, including OBM’s signage project.
“The HPC reviewed and supported our project back in February, but the Commission was focused on ensuring that the project doesn’t interfere with those features of the Comedy Store building that are historically significant,” Collett said. “This can be tricky with digital media, but ultimately, the Commission agreed that our project preserves those historic features while adding its own aesthetic and operational contribution to an iconic building.”
Another good example of where OBM worked with a historic building for a new signage project can be found just west of The Comedy Store, at 9165 Sunset, which is known as “The House on Sunset.” OBM launched a new sign there last year where we that features programmable LED sticks as well as a see-through metal gantry element that evokes old Hollywood with a modern twist.
“OBM prides itself in developing signs for historic properties that complement the architectural composition and avoid impact to historic features,” Collett said. “The goal is not only to preserve the historic features of the underlying building but also to enhance the location.”