How's Business?

[eugene@signmakershc.com]

Just wondering how business is for everyone out there. It sucks here. We were off 15% last year from 2007. As of end of business yesterday we were off 44% from 2008 on that date. We started the slide in August 2008, picked up some in May/June but nowhere near what it used to be. We are still okay financially, the business is debt free, personally only owe for the building the sign shop is in (only 4 more months of payments). Can't imagine what it's like for businesses that owe the bank a large sum. On the vinyl side, alot of our business is related to the real estate market, realtors, contractors, etc. and the housing market is in the tank. Our electric sign work is down just because there is no new businesses opening. Service work is way down too, everybody holding onto their money. The only installs we're doing for the national companies are motel logo changes, don't know how much more there is of that work coming. We've probaly done more removals for businesses going out this year than we have in the past 5 years combined. Is it like this all over? I know it will get better, just don't know how long it will be before that happens. I'm afraid the turn-around may be a ways off.