Unwanted posters
Agricenter plans new signs, policy on rules
Once a month, two tractor trailers draped with vinyl signs on each side announce to all who pass the entrances of Agricenter International that it’s flea market weekend. Subtle the signs are not. However, they are effective. Still, it’s not clear if or for how long the Memphis Flea Market — The Big One will be able to continue to use those billboardsized banners.
The Agricenter is developing a sign policy and plans to spend $200,000 on new electronic LED signs to advertise events there.
For now, event organizers and Agricenter vendors advertise with paper or plywood signs that are stuck in the ground
along Walnut Grove Road and Germantown Parkway, advertising fresh seafood for sale, a knife show or other attraction.
Some call those signs tacky.
“They’re tacky for us as well. We understand that,” said John Charles Wilson, Agricenter president.
But the Agricenter’s old electronic signs no longer work and the entities that do business on the property or rent the facility for events must advertise, Wilson said.
“We understand the public. They don’t want a bunch of paper signs up and down the roadway, but it’s all about money and trying to do better,” Wilson said.
The Agricenter is attempting to buy new digital signs for Germantown Parkway and Walnut Grove that officials hope will eliminate the need for the cheap roadway signs.
The county owns the Agricenter property, but as a not-for-profit organization charged with facilitating agricultural research and education, the Agricenter is managed by a board and gets no tax money. Renting the center for sales and events helps to pay for programs, Wilson said.
“We have to take care of our property and roads and signs,” Wilson said. “We’re trying our best to make it happen, do some upgrades and not be on the dole of the taxpayer.”
Officials there are also working on a sign policy, but details have not been decided, he said.
“And part of that is, if and when we’re able to get all signage we hope to be able to get, it’s going to make it so much nicer that we won’t need any of this,” he said referring to the paper signs.
Meanwhile, across the road, the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy has es- tablished a sign policy and erected new signs at the park.
“Our goal is to balance the need to communicate with park visitors while minimizing the amount of signs in the park. No sign can be placed on parkland without prior approval and all signs must adhere to Shelby Farms Park Conservancy’s master plan brand and style guidelines,” said conservancy spokeswoman Jen Andrews.
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell has no authority over the Agricenter board but does have an idea on what to do about the paper and plywood signs.
“I would strongly suggest that if they’re going to put a digital sign up that they eliminate the less than professional signs,” Luttrell said.
But flea market general manager Sandy Hembree said she hopes the Agricenter won’t require the f lea market to abandon the vinyl billboards they’ve purchased.
The digital boards can’t give drivers as much information as quickly as the banners, which are only on flea market weekends, usually once a month.
“I don’t think anybody really reads those digital signs,” Hembree said.
She paid $3,000 each for four banners and pays $900 a month to rent the two tractor trailers that are placed at the Agricenter entrances on Walnut Grove and Germantown Parkway.
And then she pays a man $300 to place the signs.
“So it’s not just cheap advertising sitting out there,” she said.
With several hundred mostly out-of-town vendors, the flea market brings a lot of money to the area and the banners bring in lots of shoppers, Hembree said.
“I hope they don’t make us take them down,” she said. “But if they do, we’ll abide by whatever they decide.”