In other words, regularly put a nice, big foot-tall 7804 or whatever on the front of their building so people driving by can spot them right off? Sure, there are a number that do, particularly in downtown areas, but criminy out in the suburbs, etc. you have to really strain it seems to spot any posted address, then you have to kind of count down from it and guess, hoping to spot the business’ name, etc. Is there a reason businesses don’t put “make sure we are easily located” at the top of their “to do” list? Do most businesses in your area post their addresses or is it just me or my area?
Peeved!
It’s not just you.
WAG - Perhaps it’s a zoning issue. But that doesn’t make sense either when the sign clutter is more than an eyesore, yet one can never find their street number anywhere.
Or perhaps it’s part of customer unawareness and crappy customer service that now permeates America.
You notice it most when you’re trying to figure out what number you’re at and all you pass are buildings with no numbers. Drives me nuts.
Some business have their business (accounting, management, etc.)offices separate from their operations(store, warehouse, manufacturing plant, etc.). Plus too, their mailing address. Besides, if these were all at a single site, it is more likely to have the business at in the place where the land is cheapest.
I’d like to add that it really grinds my gears when I’m trying to find something and there arn’t street signs at the intersections. I assume they think hmmm…major intersection, everyone knows what these streets are, don’t need a sign.
I know that in my parents’ town, there’s an ordinance or law that the street number has to be prominently displayed on all houses, so that an ambulance or fire truck can easily locate where it needs to go. If the same thing isn’t required for commercial buildings, it should be and for the same reason.
You would think that postal regulations would require visible street numbers. Common sense certainly does. I always figured that they’re too self-important and/or just plain stupid to ever think that it might be helpful to someone trying to find them.
Same thing in Canada. Does this sound familiar?
Let’s see I’m looking for 1308 Main Street… OK, there’s 1147 so, it’s on the other side of the street. There’s 1063; damn wrong direction. (10 minutes and a U-turn later…) OK, there’s 1147 again. OK… let’s see… there’s 1278. Getting close…Damn, there’s 1364. Now I need to turn around again!
It’s on my pet peeves list as well. If I notice that a small buisiness owner DID display the address, I try to make a point of thanking them.
Maybe because it’s not their business to make sure you know where you are? A sign proclaiming the name of the business for their customers is all they really need, plus whatever the police/fire people require.
If I’m looking for a financial planner and I see a giant 7804… well, that doesn’t really help much.
But when your looking for a finacial planner downtown at 7804 E Main St Suite 304…
Most of the time it’s not really the business you should gripe at. Most businesses are leasing their space, and the responsibility, if any, for displaying a street number belongs to the building owner. It doesn’t belong on the signage for the business because it should remain in place when tenants change. For some reason, owners of strip malls, in particular, don’t seem to feel they need to pay much attention to the issue. Given the sort of obtrusive nonsense that somehow finds its way into city ordinances, you would think an entirely reasonable ordinance about visible street numbers would exist in most places. If only for the benefit of emergency vehicles, as noted. But, apparently not.
Well, it would be wise if they considered it their business to make sure we know where they are.
One might think so, and sometimes it is enough for the business’s purpose. But there are cases where that signage is lacking in some way - too small, wrong angle, not where expected, etc. Having the street number on or above the front door could often be very helpful, in my experience.
You’re assuming that there’s only one business in the building. What if it’s an office building with a bunch of businesses?
Out in the suburbs? Pretty much going to assume it’s in that one big building if there isn’t any other sign, shouldn’t you?
Texas is your dream state. Great signage and building numbers are usually pretty prominent. Houston is particularly great about this.
LA also has really good signs.
Massachusetts, however, is a place where you need to be prepared to pull over, get out of your car, and walk to the storefront to see the damn address. No block numbers on the signs, either.