1977
SURFER BOY MEETS
FITTING MODEL
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.
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In a nutshell, sparks flew and they were married just over 8 months later.
1985
CALL OF THE MOUNTAINS
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.
1986
ELECTRIC AVENUE GIFTS
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 tourist. 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.
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Contemplating personalized merchandise for the skiers, Laura requested Loyd make her a souvenir sign.
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Finding inspiration from his hoards of vintage ephemera, Loyd began designing signs for the store.
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So it began…
1986
MEISSENBURG DESIGNS WAS BORN
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.
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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!