Address: 41 Fossgate, YO1 9TF (now Kiosk Café)
Description
Located beside the back entrance to the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall on Fossgate, there’s a ghost sign that was once brightly painted on wood.
The original sign read “Coopers Signs” in a funky, modern font, but it has since been painted over with a coat of green paint.
Despite this, the underlying sign remains faintly visible when the light hits it just right.
History
In the 1970s, this building was a sign shop owned by C.B. Cooper, who ran Coopers Signs. Interestingly, this shop stands next to the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, which houses another ghost sign.
Sign shops in the 1970s were vibrant places filled with the scent of paint and the sound of brushes on surfaces.
They were workshops of creativity and craftsmanship, producing a variety of signs ranging from hand-painted business signs to large, eye-catching advertisements.
1989 – Fossgate, the building “Thackers” was previously Coopers Signs Source: York Press
The artisans at Coopers Signs would have used traditional techniques alongside emerging technologies of the time to create bespoke signage that adorned local businesses and public spaces, leaving a lasting visual impact on the community.
In 2019, the building found new life as the Kiosk coffee shop, which it remains today.
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