A Modest Proposal For A Modest Problem
This column is not about the most pressing matter facing Woodhaven. It is about a pet peeve.
Too many storefronts on Jamaica Avenue-Woodhaven’s commercial strip-feature awnings and signs that, though written in English, reflect a shockingly poor command of the language. They are replete with misspellings, ungrammatical statements, and other mangling of the English language.
I am not referring to “stationary” where “stationery” is appropriate, though that does pop up on Jamaica Avenue signage. Such mistakes are common enough beyond the avenue that I am willing to give store owners a pass on it.
I am referring to egregious errors that bespeak extreme apathy or laziness on the part of those who commissioned and produced the signage.
“Luggages.” “Francy” instead of “fancy.” “Hot & cold sandwiches, cold cuts, and grocery.” “Custom designs, repairs, diamond, watch.” “We accept food stamp.” “Dinning” instead of “dining.” And so on.
Many businesses on the avenue are owned or managed by people whose primary tongue is not English. I understand that. If I were a store owner and had to produce a sign written in, say, Chinese, and I had to do so without any assistance, I would undoubtedly make plenty of mistakes.
But if I had to produce a Chinese sign, I would make the effort to seek help from someone with a firm command of that language. I would be embarrassed to have an illiteratelooking sign hanging outside my store, regardless of the language. It would reflect poorly upon my business and upon me.
Someone made the decision to order an awning that spelled “fancy” with an r. And someone else decided to create an awning with “francy” emblazoned on it. And neither person noticed a problem. Either they didn’t bother to ask someone else to spend ten seconds proofreading the awning, or they didn’t recognize that “fancy” has no r in it. Either way, there was a deficiency here.
As I already noted, this is not the most serious problem in our neighborhood. But these errorriddled signs do contribute to a sense that Woodhaven is populated by people who just don’t care. Nothing could be further from the truth, however. The members of the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association are just some of the many denizens who seek to keep the neighborhood lively, healthy, dynamic, and prosperous. We would be better off if Jamaica Avenue came closer to embodying that positive attitude, and improving stores’ signage would be a small step in that direction.
I would like to recommend a (perhaps quixotic) solution.
The Woodhaven Business Improvement District (BID) serves Jamaica Avenue. I propose that the Woodhaven BID offer a proofreading service to businesses on the avenue. Business owners setting up shop on Jamaica Avenue should be contacted and welcomed by the BID, and they should be informed that the BID is willing to check their signage prior to production or installation.
This is within the BID’s mandate, and it surely would not be a significant drain on the BID’s time and energy. But if, for some reason, the BID is unable to offer this option, I know several people who are prepared to step forward to render proofreading services themselves.
One might respond that store owners would not bother to avail themselves of such a BID-provided service if it existed. If that were the case, then it would raise questions about who is setting up shop on Jamaica Avenue and how much pride they feel in Woodhaven. That, of course, would be a very different set of issues.
For now, I just wish more business owners on Jamaica Avenue would use spell-check before ordering their expensive signage.
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Editor’s note: The next Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association meeting is on Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m. at the American Legion Hall (89-02 91st Street). Blenkinsopp is a member of Community Board 9 and director of communications for the WRBA. For additional information on the WRBA, visit www.woodhaven-nyc.org.
