Made In Chicago: Olympic Signs
(CBS) -- Drive around downtown Chicago, and you're sure to have seen their work.
"We did the new neon Drake Hotel, the Prudential Building," said Rob Whitehead, co-owner of Olympic Signs. "The Boeing Building, Hershey's, we are redoing Top Shop/Top Man, Water Tower Place. We're all around the United States now."
Whitehead has been designing, constructing and installing some of the city's most recognizable signs for more than three decades.
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"I had an art background," he said. "That's where I gravitated to."
Whitehead says he and his partner began the company in a rented two car garage. Soon enough they moved to Glendale Heights and most recently to a 30,000 square foot space in Lombard. Their first big job?
"Our first big sign was for Portillo's and we've done all of their restaurants ever since," he said.
Now they have seven more in the works. A giant jukebox atop the Portillo's on Route 83 in Elmhurst is an award winning design and one of their biggest projects.
"It's a jukebox that sits on top of the building and you walk underneath it and it sits right on the corner of the building at Portillo's," said Whitehead. "That actually one the 2001 Design Award with our trade magazine which was a big honor."
Whitehead says technology has changed their business significantly.
"Years ago, everything was done by hand," he said. "I did all the drawings with a number two pencil."
Now, designs are created and mapped in a 3D model on a desktop.
The new changing lights and colors on Prudential Plaza are the work of Olympic Signs, adding new beauty to the Chicago skyline. Their latest project? Switching up the sign at the marquee above the new Private Bank Theater.
"We do a lot of works for banks," he said. "Banks are changing hands all the time. Several locations. We're opening them, closing them. Naming rights makes a big difference."
Whitehead says naming rights and changes in ownership keep them competitive and their business booming but he says as long as they stay relevant, creative and hands on, all signs will continue to lead to Olympic.
"This is a passion. We love it. We love what we do. We have to keep up with design, we have to keep up with technology with LED. Everything is moving a lot into print imaging," he said.
And with some of the biggest names as their clients, Whitehead hopes Olympic signs will continue to brighten up Chicago for years to come.
For more information, visit www.olysigns.com.
