Manufacturing Legacy, Episode 2: Right Way Signs

RIGHT WAY OR THE HIGHWAY

When Ches Perry enrolled in college, he thought he was headed to design school. Once he got there, he quickly learned he had signed up for a place that focused entirely on sign painting. 

He stuck it out. Every day, for years, Ches practiced his lettering. Despite the initial mix-up, he discovered he loved sign painting. He was good at it. So, in 1970, he started Right Way Signs in Chicago.

47 years later, he's still going. His one-of-a-kind work is all over the city, and the demand is only going up as the digital world makes people yearn for signage that's uniquely theirs.

In Episode 2 of Manufacturing Legacy, we brought our cameras to his shop and watched Ches work. The end result is almost therapeutic. We didn't just document his steady hand; we met a man who absolutely loves what he does and can't imagine ever giving it up.

Manufacturing Legacy is an Ivor Andrew video series that celebrates the art of making something by hand. Do you know a business that would be perfect for the next episode? Let us know! 

If you missed Episode 1, you can watch it here. We flew across the Pacific Ocean and filmed the incredible knife makers of Sakai, Japan.

Huge thanks to our friend, Shannon Lee Hayden. Her track, "Sketching in a Lonely Park," provided the background music for this video. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to be the first to watch our latest work.