Our Story

Where The Crazy Got Started


We are all crazy in our own way. Here at Meissenburg Designs our owners, Loyd and Laura Meissenburg, are no different.


Thank you for visiting our site and taking the time to learn where our crazy got started.

Surfer Boy Meets Fitting Model

1977

As if the cosmos were aligning, Loyd and Laura were in the right place at the right time. That time was 1977 at UCI Irvine. Laura was working in Los Angeles in the garment industry and Loyd was dabbling in cartooning and mostly surfing. Encouraged to take an art class taught by Eric Titlebaum, cartoonist, of Playboy Magazine notoriety; Loyd and Laura caught each other's eye.


In a nutshell, sparks flew and they were married just over 8 months later.

Call Of The Mountains

1985

Curiosity and exploration were and still are pillars in Loyd and Laura's life. A trip by train to visit friends in Montana, Loyd found himself awe-struck by the beauty and serenity of Northwest Montana. He discovered true nirvana in a small, lakeside town called Bigfork. The seed was planted and Loyd couldn't resist the call of mountains. They sold their house and Loyd moved Laura up to Montana, kicking and screaming.

Meissenburg Designs Is Born

1986

Electric Avenue Gifts was a tiny gift shop attached to a bar (shopping and drinking, why not?). Laura filled her days working at the gift shop and soon thereafter became a partner at the shop. The summer came and went and so did the tourists. The winters were desolate with time to tinker. Laura began to ask Loyd to make merchandise for her shop. With Big Mountain Ski Resort (now called Whitefish Mountain) just up the road, Laura knew this dedicated crowd of skiers was untapped potential.


Contemplating personalized merchandise for the skiers, Laura requested Loyd make her a souvenir sign.


Finding inspiration from his hoards of vintage ephemera, Loyd began designing signs for the store. So it began…

Old Wood Signs by Meissenburg Designs

Today

Old Wood Signs by Meissenburg Designs, run by Loyd and Laura, is a full-service design and fabrication company. We design it, make it and ship it, right here in Northwest Montana - All Montana Made, All American Made. We've grown from making homemade inks in a microwave and duct-taping makeshift equipment, to over 40 employees and a state-of-the-art facility. We have over 3,000 signs in our collection and have had the unique opportunity to work, collaborate and partner with national beer companies, theme parks, wineries, and not-for-profit conservation groups.

 

Collaboration and a can-do attitude go a long way. Over the years, we've tackled projects, large and small, challenging and growing our capabilities beyond anything we could have imagined. Being stubborn has its rewards!

 

As the industry morphs into what's next, our appetite for originality and newness keeps us ahead of the game. Even vintage designs need a little fresh paint now and then!

 

 

Our Collections... Check Out A Few Of Our Personal Favorites