While I didn't seek out hand-painted signs, I noticed their emergence as a pattern in my photo travelogue of Memphis shortly after I moved here in 2004. I felt drawn to their imperfect beauty. In a city of much poverty, racism, and crime, the sheer volume of these colorful hand-painted signs speaks of persistent creativity and the spirit of small business. The sheer volume of these signs in the city affirms the popularity of this mode of expression and suggests that small businesses continue to function as cultural landmarks at the center of neighborhood geography, despite the encroachments of corporate chains and developer-planned communities. Owners often collaborate with local artists, as in the case of the mural at Hawk's Bar & Grill, painted by James "Brick" Brigance. A native of Orange Mound, Brigance adorned many neighborhood buildings with hand-stenciled and freehand advertising for local businesses. Such work suggests that small-business advertising can be a collective endeavor, relying on neighborhood talent and artistic vision.