Puns are flying in Newmarket as local businesses join the "sign war" taking place in towns across the province to boost pandemic spirits.
One of the first shots fired was by Timeless Harmony Salon & Spa when they put out a sign reading, “Hey Vin Bon we can hear you “wining” from here!”
Both businesses are located at the intersection of Leslie and Gorham streets.
Katie Gilligan, the owner of Timeless Harmony, said she saw other sign wars on the news and thought it would be fun to participate.
“For me, it was being closed because I own a spa and I needed to lift my spirits and it was fun,” she said.
The wine supply store was quick to respond: “Hey timeless harmony got ur massage will you make the cut”.
Rick Caldaroni, owner of Vin Bon Newmarket, said he had also heard about it on the news and when Gilligan got in touch about starting their own sign war, he decided to play along.
Since then last month, the two businesses have been using their public signs to blast puns at one another.
After a bit of back and forth, one of Vin Bon’s neighbours, Innovative Spine and Wellness got involved: “Hey Timeless Harmony Innovative Wellness took a crack at ur sign” on May 27, followed up by a note posted on the chiropractic centre’s door that read “stop picking on the “winers” at Vin Bon... and come see us instead. We’ll crack you up.”
The hair salon responded, targeting most of the businesses who are in the same plaza as Vin Bon and Innovative Spine and Wellness, with “Telus mamas about your minuteman grapes and innovative magic. Do you have the spine?”
They also posted the latest lob on their Facebook, sharing how much they’ve loved the sign wars.
“Community coming through tough times with some giggles,” the post said.
Their customers have been loving it, too.
Gilligan said for one sign she wasn’t sure how to respond, so she took to social media to get some ideas.
“I just got a flood of answers back, it was so much fun,” she said.
“I’m surprised that people come in and mention the sign or I’ve had phone calls of people calling and saying ‘that was a really cute sign,’” Caldaroni said.
As a food and beverage manufacturing business, Vin Bon has been allowed to stay open throughout the pandemic and they have actually seen an uptick in customers recently, however he feels for businesses like Timeless Harmony that have had to close.
“For us it, it really hasn’t impacted us at all but I have to say that I feel really badly for everybody it has affected,” Caldaroni said.
At the hair salon, they’ve been staying afloat with their gift certificate program and through online retail sales, but Gilligan said it has been tough but the sign war does help.
She said “I have a couple of staff that are struggling emotionally and mentally being home and not having anything to do, so I’ve been throwing the signs Rick does at them and asking for their feedback and they’re getting involved, so they look forward to when he throws up a new sign because then they get to do something.”
As for how long they plan to keep this up, Gilligan is hoping once they reopen they’ll be too busy to do signs but Caldaroni over at VinBon isn’t so sure.
The business owner said now that Timeless Harmony has mentioned almost every other business in their plaza, he thinks more people will be getting involved soon.
He warned, “It could go longer than you expect, Katie, be prepared!”
Similar sign wars have taken place across Ontario during this latest shutdown, with restaurants, banks, and all sorts of businesses taking part.
In Aurora, a battle of the wits started last month, with a sign from the local legion that said "#signwars are better than real war."
After a back and forth with a local lingerie store, the Aurora Legion called out an animal hospital in town with a sign that said "Abbotsford Animal Hospital likes pets and we like vets."
Instead of responding to the legion's message, they decided to include another local business in the area,
The animal hospital called out a restaurant with, "We don't treat chickens but Tina's Grill can bring their wings here anytime."
In a twist on the traditional sign wars, Tina's Grill responded by actually delivering free chicken wings to the animal hospital for lunch.
In a Facebook post about the sign wars, the restaurant said of the doctors, "You guys are real heroes and us pet lovers can't thank you enough for what you do day in and day out."
Local residents eager to watch the friendly-fire unfold will have to keep their eyes to the signs.
