Jeremy Clemetson is at it again.
The owner of East of Chicago Pizza and Anna Bean Coffee Co., both in Barberton, has a history of posting billboards and signs outside his businesses with catchy, often pun-laced messages.
They tend to be attention-grabbers and provoke comment and — usually — appreciation in the community. Some, though, some have spurred criticism, including an East of Chicago billboard with a too-far headline that caught the attention of CNN Headline News and other media outside the Akron area in 2020.
Clemetson’s signs are garnering attention again. This time, however, the sign messages aren’t controversial or scary, even if they’re occasionally risqué.
Starting a ‘sign war’
The “sign war” started between Anna Bean and East of Chicago Jan. 29 and sparked more than a few friendly quips between the two establishments.
By the end of the week on Friday, dozens of Barberton and Norton businesses had jumped into the fray, each posting messages directed at Clemetson’s businesses or others in the 44203 area code. Businesses without marquee signs used whiteboards with written messages and posted to social media.