That Sign Place

07/31/2026

Truthfully, we didn’t give this sign expecting anything in return.

This morning, Tyler (our 14-year-old) and I stopped into Tower Cafe for breakfast and were welcomed with genuine kindness, great conversation, and the kind of small-town hospitality that seems harder and harder to find these days.

Before we left, Tyler looked at me and said, “We should give them one of our signs.” That was all the reason I needed.

We simply wanted to say thank you to some genuinely good people who made us feel at home.

Tower Cafe, thank you for the warm welcome, the wonderful breakfast, and the reminder that there is still so much good in this world. It’s people and places like yours that make traveling worthwhile.

We can’t wait to stop back the next time we’re in northern Minnesota. ❤️☕🌲

Today was one of those days that reminds us why we love what we do. ❤️

We had the chance to meet so many wonderful people at the Tower Cafe here in Tower Mn, and one visit was an unexpected surprise.

The incredibly talented folks from That Sign Place stopped in and gifted us this absolutely beautiful custom Minnesota sign, handcrafted from authentic Kentucky bourbon barrel wood and steel. They even shared that they travel to Kentucky several times a month to source the real bourbon barrel wood used in their creations. The craftsmanship is truly amazing, and the story behind it makes it even more special.

We are so grateful for this thoughtful gift. It will have a special place here at the cafe and will remind us every day of the kindness of others.

People often ask what it's like owning a small-town cafe. The truth is, we'll probably never become millionaires doing it—but we've become incredibly rich in something far more valuable. Every day we get to meet amazing people, hear their stories, build friendships, and be a small part of creating community and connection. That's a gift money simply can't buy.

And every once in a while, someone blesses us in return with an act of kindness like this. We are truly humbled.

Thank you so much, That Sign Place for your generosity and for sharing your incredible craftsmanship with us. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind custom sign for your home, cabin, lake place, or business, be sure to check them out at the link in the comments. Their work is absolutely stunning.

Here's to good people, small towns, unexpected blessings, and all the connections made over a cup of coffee. ❤️☕

07/12/2026

Cannot ask for a better Sunday morning view! Thank you so much Frankfort Bluegrass Festival for putting on a such an amazing event!

If you’re in the area, we’d love for you to stop on by and say hi. We will be here until 5pm tonight. 

07/11/2026

Good morning, everyone! That Sign Place and Sanctuary Traders are back at it again! 🎶

Come on out to the Frankfort Bluegrass Festival in Frankfort, Illinois, today and tomorrow for great bluegrass music, plenty of fun, and lots of shopping. Stop by our booth and say hello—we hope to see you there!

07/11/2026

Good morning, everyone! That Sign Place and Sanctuary Traders are back at it again! 🎶

Come on out to the Frankfort Bluegrass Festival in Frankfort, Illinois, today and tomorrow for great bluegrass music, plenty of fun, and lots of shopping. Stop by our booth and say hello—we hope to see you there!

07/04/2026

We got knocked down… but we got back up.

Last night’s storm left our booth—and some of our merchandise—a little battle-worn. We spent the morning cleaning, rebuilding, and doing everything we could to get back open for today.

Some of the scratches and weathered edges are still there, and honestly, we think they tell part of the story. A little character never hurt anyone.

We’re open today at Tinley Park Country Fest and would love for you to stop by. Whether you’re looking for a gift, something for the cabin, lake house, or just want to support a small family business that refused to let a storm win, we’d love to see you.

Thank you to everyone who has checked on us, stopped by, and offered encouragement. It means more than you know.

Happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

07/03/2026

We’ll be back tomorrow.

07/03/2026

Sometimes being a small business means having days like today.

A severe storm tore through Country Fest and left a lot of destruction behind. Like many of the other vendors, our booth took a hard hit. It was discouraging to watch so much hard work end up in a pile in a matter of minutes.

But today also reminded us how many good people are around us. Fellow vendors, event staff, friends, and even complete strangers stepped in to help one another. We are incredibly grateful for every person who checked on us, offered a hand, or simply asked if we were okay.

Most importantly, we’re thankful that everyone is safe. Booths and equipment can be repaired or replaced. People cannot.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back.

Our booth may not be perfect, but we’ll be there, doing what we love and continuing to build That Sign Place one day at a time.

If you’re coming to Country Fest, we’d be honored if you stopped by and supported not only us, but all of the vendors who worked so hard to recover after today’s storm.

Thank you for all of the encouragement, prayers, and support. It means more than you know.

We’ll see you tomorrow.

— Travis & the That Sign Place Family

06/26/2026

Can’t wait to see you all there!

06/25/2026

Not every day in the shop ends with a finished sign.

Sometimes it ends with us standing around staring at a piece of steel saying, “Well… that wasn’t supposed to happen.” 😂

A lot of what we do happens behind the scenes—testing, experimenting, and occasionally making a perfectly good piece of steel look like copper. Every new finish, every new process, and every little improvement comes from a whole lot of trial and error.

We’re always tweaking, reworking, and trying to dial everything in so the next sign is just a little better than the last.

Some experiments fail.
Some surprise us.
And every once in a while… they turn out pretty darn cool.

Here’s one of today’s experiments. What do you think—does this copper look have potential?

06/25/2026

See you soon! We’ll be set up in spot 92!