Anyone can slap a sign onto a building, a restaurant, a store, or a street corner to indicate an establishment, directions, or information. When someone makes a little extra effort, however, a sign can create a lasting impression, and sometimes a lifelong client or customer. Clever use of language, a play on words, a witty equivoque, a thoughtful design — they’re what differentiate, for example, Betty’s Hair Salon from Curl Up & Dye Salon and Spa. They can make us laugh, make us think, and heighten our appreciation of the object before us. These are my favorites.

#1 Mirror Lakes (South Island, New Zealand)

Take time to reflect on the ingenuity of the person who decided to deliberately write this sign upside-down.

#2 Pi Pizzeria (Washington, D.C.)

Pizza for mathematicians in the capital of the United States.

#3 Shakespeare Antiques (Helsingør, Denmark)

Antique shoppers ponder the age-old question, to buy or not to buy.

#4 Newport Aquarium (Newport, Kentucky)

The deliciously uninviting invitation at one of the best aquariums in the world.

#5 Sidewalk (Saratoga Springs, New York)

Appreciate the irony along the streets of this wonderful small city.

Runners-up

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