Business Retail � Projects � Profiles
Up in Lights The Neon Company creates iconic signage for films, local businesses
By Clare S. Richie Nestled in a 5,000 square foot workshop on DeKalb Avenue not far from the Krog Street Tunnel, Gregg Brenner and his team at The Neon Company have created neon art, sets for television and movies and signage for decades. Each piece is bent, filled and assembled there by hand. “We enjoy what we do. I’m proud of what we do. It really is an interesting combination of science and art,” said Brenner, The Neon Company founder. Since 1983, Brenner’s company has provided neon to over 300 productions: from “Driving Miss Daisy” to current productions like several Marvel movies, “Baby Driver,” “Ozark” and “Stranger Things.” The shop even appeared in “Queer Eye” when staff member Jason was featured. “The projects we’ve done for Marvel recently is our biggest movie work,” Brenner said, adding “But, to be honest with you, I get a big kick every time “My Cousin Vinny” comes on. I remember being on set watching those people rehearse and laughing so much.” Brenner’s Inman Park shop houses hundreds of hand-crafted neon signs for rent to the growing film industry. Some are headed to the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect.” “Movies take down trademark signs and hang up generic signs. They want it to be so real on set,” said shop manager Craig Weido. You can also find their neon at neighborhood haunts, such as The Vortex, The Majestic, The Family Dog, The Varsity, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and more.
14 March 2020 |
Production starts with design and glass bending, followed by assembly and installation. As neon gas is stimulated by an electric current, it releases electrons that cause the gas inside the colored glass tube to glow. Neon creations last 10 to 40 years, depending on daily use. “I found something that suited me very well. I was ‘Mr. Science’ in high school, my mom was an artist and my dad was a businessman. Oddly enough – I found something that was this blend of science, business and art,” Brenner said. While working as a high school science teacher in the early 1980’s, Brenner and his roommate became interested in neon signs. “We would drive around in our Dodge Dart with our ladder on top. Maybe we would see a liquor store with a sign broken and we would take a wire and bypass the broken tube, take it to an existing neon shop and look over an old guy’s shoulder while he was fixing it,” Brenner said. Over the next two years, they accumulated more equipment, set up a rudimentary shop in their living room and began the long process of making a “decent tube.” They quit their day jobs and traded sign-work with Mellow Mushroom to
guitar chord versus making a living as a guitarist in a popular band. He and his roommate went on to launch different shops with Brenner starting The Neon Company. “I never ever could have had imagined that I’d be doing it for almost 40 years,” Brenner said. Today, 50 percent of his business is with the film industry, but they still make commercial signs, like for Grindhouse Killer Burgers in Brookhaven, and respond to community requests. “We fix beer signs for people. We do work for man caves. Selfie spot work has become very big, for bar mitzvahs and weddings that customers then take home,” Brenner said. “Basically, you work with the client to make sure it’s not too big for the house but big enough for the reception. The Neon Company For weddings, you can have a green owner Gregg Brenner and foliage wall with white neon. That’s above with his team. really big right now,” designer Vyvyan Hughes said. LED lights have replaced much neon rent space behind Excelsior Mill, which work. At one time, Atlanta boasted 20 would later become music venue The neon shops and now there are only a few. Masquerade. After they sent their first That’s why Brenner is grateful to the film commercial job out to another sign industry and jobs from the community. company, an interesting visitor popped by. “I can’t tell you how many times “The door pushed open and an old someone’s come in and said ‘this is from guy, who might have been my age now, my dad – he got this when he was a kid stared at us and the words that came out of and it got broken,” Weido said, adding his mouth were, ‘Who the hell taught you “when you hand someone a neon sign – how to bend glass,’” Brenner recalled. they stop what they are doing – a smile “He was a grouchy, gray-haired New comes across their face.” York union trained neon guy, but he came “We make people happy,” Brenner once a week and for $20 each – he gave us said. lessons.” There is a multi-year learning curve Find out more about the company at to perfect making quality neon, which theneoncompany.com. Brenner compares to learning to play a At l a n t a I N t o w n Pa p e r. c o m