Posted by Rick Taylor on Mar 17, 2018
Canton Repository edition March 13, 2018
Edd Pritchard
Business Roundup Section
 
"New look, new signs win award"
 
"Work remodeling Davies Drugs has earned an award for the pharmacy, along with recognition for Canton Sign Co. The National Community Pharmacists Association presented its NICE Award for best exterior sign to Davies Drugs. NICE stands for NCPA Innovation Center Excellence, and Davies won the award in the first year of the competition.
 
The association recognized Davies for work done to remodel the store at 2915 Tuscarawas St. W, including installing new signs crafted by Canton Sign.
 
The effort started years ago when the pharmacy remodeled its interior. Steve Fettman, whose family has owned the business for 55 years, decided to make changes on the exterior to match the work done inside. After adding a stone finish and painting the building, Fettman hired Canton Sign to work on something for the outside.
 
Gone is a blue and white box sign that once ran across the building's roof. It has been replaced by letters that are reverse lit using an LED system. Also installed are neon signs - a mortar and pestle and a "mad scientist" - at two peaks on the Tuscarawas Street W side of the building, and another "mad scientist" on the Wertz Avenue NW side of the building.
 
Matthew Franta, whose family owns Canton Sign, said the new design is a mix of old and new styles. "I think it blends pretty well together," he said.
 
Fettman said his business has relied on Canton sign for many years. The company has made several of the neon "mad scientist" signs that are displayed inside and outside of Davies' stores in Canton and North Canton. The pharmacy has been using the character since the 1960s after it showed up in an advertisement Davies Drugs placed with a local high school's yearbook. Steve Fettman said his father, David A. Fettman, saw the ad and the "mad scientist"."
 
Repository photo: Michael Balash