I went to get a haircut the other day and my barber had installed a new barber pole in his business. It was shiny, red, white and blue and turned like a turbo. It was a sight to see. I asked my barber where the idea for a barber pole came from and he said he thought it was just a cool sign someone came up with that caught on. However, he readily admitted he was unsure of the origins of the pole of many colors.
This caused me to do a little research. According to history.com, during medieval times, barbers performed surgery, tooth extractions, bloodletting and other practices in addition to cutting hair. The original pole had a sink at the top that held the leeches and another basin at the bottom to hold the blood. The pole itself was the place that the patients grabbed onto to promote blood flow during the leeching.
The colors of the pole represent the different services offered. Red indicated surgery available so be prepared to bleed. White dictated they could set bones and/or pull teeth. Finally, blue represented shaves, haircuts or other less urgent needs.
All of this sounded fascinating and had me considering what other businesses could benefit from a unique contraption in front of their business. Krispy Kreme for instance uses a neon sign that lights up when they pull those glazed gadgets of goodness fresh and hot from the oven. The sign says "Hot Now" and usually causes a stampede into the business.
Do you think a bar would benefit from a unique sign out front? Maybe something like a mirror that is clear when you first look at the image but the longer you stare the image becomes fuzzier and fuzzier. Eventually, if you stare long enough, the mirror adjusts in height and you have to lower yourself to the floor to see your face. Ultimately illustrating the position, you will find yourself in if you partake too much.
How about a sign for a divorce lawyer that jabs you in the neck as you walk in front of it? You would turn around and see the sign and it would say, "Want to get rid of that pain in the neck? We can help."
Finally, how about a sign for a hat store that blows a freezing burst of air on top your head as you walk underneath it. You read the sign and is says, "We can cure your head cold."
The opportunities are endless.