Local Sign Business Thrives In Tough Times

When Curt Hancock bought a struggling sign shop on Providence St. five years ago he didn’t know the first thing about how to make a sign. He was a union carpenter who was sick of getting laid-off every winter.

He and his brother Chad were also race-truck operators would take a 4-cylinder pickup truck down to Seekonk Speedway every month. That’s how he met James Dulac. Dulac, the previous owner of the shop on Providence St. did the graphics on Hancock’s race truck.

In 2006 Dulac approached Hancock’s brother Chad and asked him if he wanted to buy the sign shop.

Chad and Curt thought it was a good idea, but their father Oscar thought they were crazy.

“What do you guys know about lettering or graphics,” Oscar remembered asking his sons at the time.

But Chad and Curt went and bought the shop, American Beauty Signworks, anyway. They enlisted their father’s help and started making signs.

“I’ve always had a little bit of an eye for design,” said Curt about diving in with no experience. He taught himself how to use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, two of the primary software programs for making graphics. He figured out how to operate an industrial-sized printer and wield the large letter cutters.

At first, the Hancocks fostered relationships with Dulac’s old clients, but as they developed their skills, word-of-mouth brought them in more business.

Chad eventually moved out of state, but Curt and Oscar, the father/son team, soldiered on. Even the recession couldn’t slow the former racetruck drivers down. (Former, they say, because they were ushered out of Seekonk Speedway after winning too many races with their 4-cyclinder while the operators were trying to shift the truck scene to 8-cyclinders.)

“The one thing is – signs sell,” said Curt about expanding the business during the recession.

“During a recession, [a business owner] wants to up their appearance,” said Oscar. “A new sign is a great way to do that.”

Some signs the Hancocks have done include the Smoke Shop in Blackstone, Urgent Care in Lincoln and North Smithfield and Woonsocket Motor Inn.

Their success allowed them to open another location in Warwick, operated by their friend Joe Hart.

American Beauty Signworks typically does one large sign every two days. But the business also does a number of smaller projects such as vehicle wraps, banners, corrugated signs, graphics, vinyl signs, boat lettering and neon signs.

The Hancocks also believe in giving back to the community. Inside their shop on June 28 were boxes and boxes of bread and canned goods that they are storing for We Share Hope, a homeless organization at which they both volunteer.

They’ve also donated signs to the East Woonsocket Little League, created and donated the sign for Barrett field, and donated the championship banners for the Woonsocket High School football team.

“We like to do a lot of stuff for the community,” said Curt, “Just to keep people thinking about us and it’s nice to give back.” 

Needless to say, with new orders coming in daily, Oscar has reconsidered his opinion of his sons' business plan. “I guess they proved me wrong,” he said.

Editor's Note: An original version of this story stated that Curt Hancock was the race-truck driver, but it was his brother, Chad.

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