Forty Years of Bringing Ideas to Life: The Signworks Plus Story
It started with a locked door. A young art student, five minutes too late, knocking on the glass of a downtown supply store while the staff inside pointed at their watches and shook their heads. Most people would have just gone home frustrated. Eveline Garneau went home, told her boyfriend, Edmonton needed an art supply store right across from the college — and three months later, they opened one. Nearly four decades later, that spark of stubborn creativity has grown into Signworks Plus, a Stony Plain Road institution that has quietly shaped the look of this city's biggest moments.
From eye-catching business signage to giant bowling pins, garden-hose parade floats, and fundraising-gala centrepieces, Eveline has built a reputation for craftsmanship, community spirit, and a genuine love of making the fun and the weird. As Signworks Plus prepares to celebrate 40 years this September, we sat down with Eveline to reflect on the journey, the people, and the neighbourhood that made it all possible.
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15607 100A Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 0L5
🔗 https://signworksplus.com/
☎️ 780-489-1028
From a Locked Door to a Launch
Signworks Plus is celebrating 40 years this September. How did the business first get started?
I was a student at MacEwan College, Jasper Place Campus, in their Visual Communications program, and I was given an assignment I didn't have the supplies to complete. So I jumped on the bus, rushed downtown to Burlington Art Supplies, and made it five minutes too late — they'd just closed. I saw people still inside, so I knocked and pleaded to be let in, and they pointed to their wristwatch and shook their heads: "No, you can't come in anymore." I sulked home and told my boyfriend Claude — now my husband — that they needed an art supply store right across the street from the college, one that would open for students after hours. Three months later, we opened Artra Art Supplies Co. Ltd. in our current location, and we did just that.
That's quite a leap. How did signage become the focus?
This was 1986, right in the middle of a recession, so we quickly realized we needed diversity. I took an eight-week evening course in Sign Design and Layout and started a sign shop within the art store — and that became our bread and butter. Over the years we added Artra's Upstairs Art School, the Artra Gallery, and Claude Garneau Studio. For a long time everything was fun and exciting, but we were burning the candle at both ends, and we had two babies with special needs. So in 2000, we decided to focus on what we loved most. We closed the store, gave the school and gallery to Frank Haddock, a wonderful artist, and concentrated on two things: my Signworks Plus, and Claude's studio, where he carves glass, addresses, and memorials into stone. For the past 26 years, both have grown into what they are today.
The Joy of Making the Fun and the Weird
What has kept you motivated and passionate for 40 years?
Every single day is different and requires creativity. Signworks Plus makes signs of all kinds, but we also make small- and large-scale props for special events, and I absolutely love this part of my business. Quite a few event planners have me on speed dial, and every call means something really fun and weird might need to be made. In the past two weeks alone we've made a large dog maze for a Pets in the Park event, a giant garden-hose faucet for a plumber's parade float, a giant bowling pin and ball display for a local mall, and a time capsule for a north-end mall's 50th anniversary. Claude's studio, meanwhile, makes beautiful address markers out of huge stones for people's front yards, and affordable memorials for loved ones who have passed. His creations are permanent; mine are usually the wow factor for a one-day event. We love being able to create these things.
What are you most proud of?
My sign shop has been in the background of so many important events in this city. So many fundraiser galas had our centrepieces and decor as part of their evenings, helping to raise millions over the past 40 years for so many good causes. I can't point to a single job — I'm just proud of what we've been able to help with, and grateful to all the event planners who trusted us to make their ideas come true. Claude's creations are in hundreds of front yards and Alberta cemeteries. Each one is so special that it's impossible to pick a favourite.
A Champion for the Neighbourhood
You've always been a strong supporter of local business. Why does that matter so much to you?
Back in the '90s I was very involved with the Jasper Place Gateway Foundation, a group of business volunteers that brought all kinds of positive happenings to the area — local festivals, beautification projects, early computer-access spots, and so much more. The BIA has taken what we started and grown it toward making Jasper Place a more vibrant area. With the LRT construction, some goals have had to go on the backburner for a while, but once the line is done, I'm sure Stony Plain Road will become a major go-to spot in Edmonton. There will be lots of new construction, and with that, new signs. I have a soft spot for businesses in my area and always try to give them the best deal I can. I donate all the signage for the Jasper Place Arts Festival every year, and I shop local, rarely going out of the area for my supplies.
What do you love most about the Stony Plain Road business community?
There are some very old businesses here that have been part of this community for so long — Apache Seeds, Hap's Hungry House, all the automotive shops between 159 Street and 163 Street, Dairy Queen, Hollywood Pizza, and so many more. They all make you feel welcome, and you trust them, because they wouldn't have lasted this long if they weren't trustworthy and good at what they do. I see lots of growth coming, and I hope the new businesses will fit right in with the rest of us.
Why are community events so important for bringing businesses and neighbours together?
Back in the '90s I started an annual festival called Pastels-on-Pavement. It ran for seven years, on a Sunday in late summer, and not one of those Sundays rained — yay! People watched and made chalk and pastel art on the top parking lot of what's now the Orange Hub. Stony Plain Road businesses donated prizes, and everyone got involved, volunteering, participating, or just having fun. It brought businesses and neighbours together. Working together can bring wonderful things to any community — friendships, business bonds, and helping each other. It can only bring positivity. I love getting involved in events like the SPRBA's Movie at Mayfield, too. I do airbrush tattoos, and I get to talk to everyone for the two minutes it takes to paint one and hear how they're doing. It's a great way to meet my neighbours.
Designated Office Greeters and the Power of Word of Mouth
Anyone who knows you knows you're a dog lover, and your dogs come to work with you. Have they always been part of Signworks Plus?
Oh yes! First I had Pip and Zoey, a mother-and-daughter shih tzu duo who both lived to a very old age — their portrait hangs in my shop. Now I have Millie and Willow, a mother-and-daughter shorkie duo. They make lots of excited noise when you come in, but settle down quickly, and Willow is always happy for a belly rub. I call them my DOGs — Designated Office Greeters!
What's been the key to building lasting relationships with customers?
On the pens I give out, we have a saying: "Great Products — Great Prices." I've always followed that motto. I rarely advertise, and when I do, it's mostly to help out the party doing the advertising. I'd say 99 per cent of our customers came to us through word of mouth. I like that when someone does a good job, they'll hopefully tell at least five others about it.
Forty Years, and What Comes Next
How will you be celebrating 40 years this September?
Well, I'm now at retirement age, so for our 40th, we'll be putting my business and building up for sale — not necessarily together. So if you know someone who loves being creative every single day and wants an exciting business to call their own, please contact me at 780-489-1028. I'm happy to train anyone to feel comfortable taking over. It's been a fantastic 40 years!
After four decades, Eveline Garneau's passion for creativity, community, and craftsmanship is as strong as ever. Through countless signs, event displays, fundraisers, and festivals, Signworks Plus has left a lasting mark on Edmonton and the Stony Plain Road neighbourhood — and its next chapter is just beginning. Whether you're after custom signage, a creative event solution, or simply want to meet a local owner who truly loves what she does, Signworks Plus is a shining example of the talent, dedication, and community spirit that make this district so special.
Learn more at https://signworksplus.com/.