ChatGPT's shortlist: commercial sign companies in Maryland

Places ChatGPT showed

• Baltimore Signsmiths | Sign Company, Building Signs | Car Wrap, Vinyl Signs | Interior Sign · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• SOL Signs & Graphics · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Signarama of Catonsville, MD · 4.9★ · Sign shop
• Signarama Glen Burnie, MD · 5.0★ · Sign shop

If you mean commercial sign companies that can handle design, fabrication, permitting, and installation—not just printing, Maryland has several strong options. I’d shortlist these based on breadth of services, commercial experience, longevity, and current business information:

• Baltimore Signsmiths — Owings Mills
  Full-service commercial signage, including channel letters, dimensional letters, monument/pylon signs, LED signs, ADA signage, wayfinding, storefronts, and vehicle graphics. They also handle larger exterior and interior sign programs.
• SOL Signs & Graphics — Columbia
  A good Central Maryland option for custom commercial work. Services include consultation, design, production, rebranding, repairs and maintenance, with service extending into DC and Northern Virginia.
• Signarama of Catonsville, MD — Catonsville
  Full-service signage and graphics with a strong local review history. Useful if you need everything from storefront signs and lobby graphics to banners and commercial printing.
• Signarama Glen Burnie, MD — Glen Burnie
  Particularly worth considering for Baltimore-area commercial projects. They offer exterior/building signage, illuminated signs, design, production and installation.
• Duff Signs — Beltsville
  One of the more established Maryland sign manufacturers. Duff says it has operated for 77 years and fabricates signage in-house, including dimensional letters, monument signs, wayfinding, channel letters, illuminated signs and vehicle graphics.
• Pollitt Signs — Havre de Grace
  A particularly interesting choice for larger commercial/industrial projects. Founded in 1947, Pollitt handles design, fabrication and installation and serves MD, DE, NJ and PA.
• Apple Signs — Millersville
  A broad commercial signage provider with experience in healthcare, commercial properties, residential developments, restaurants, sports, education and corporate identity. Its capabilities include monument and pylon signs, channel letters, electronic message centers, wayfinding and interior signage.
• Rapid Sign Center — Howard County
  Operating since 1994, with a focus on commercial/residential signs, banners, trade-show displays, vehicle graphics and large-format graphics.
• AMI Signs — Frederick
  A good option if you're in Western/Central Maryland. It handles exterior and interior business signs, vehicle/fleet graphics, event displays, permitting assistance and installation.

If you're looking for a specific type of commercial sign

One particularly notable option for large-scale architectural/commercial signage is APCO Signs in Lanham. Thomasnet lists it as a Maryland manufacturer of interior and exterior architectural signage, including ADA, illuminated/non-illuminated, directories and modular sign systems.

If you tell me what part of Maryland (Baltimore, Montgomery County, PG County, Howard County, Eastern Shore, etc.) and what you're buying (monument sign, channel letters, pylon, LED, office signs, etc.), I can narrow this to 5 companies worth getting quotes from and compare their specialties, reviews, and approximate pricing.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Baltimore Signs & Graphics · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Baltimore Signsmiths | Sign Company, Building Signs | Car Wrap, Vinyl Signs | Interior Sign · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• SOL Signs & Graphics · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Signarama of Catonsville, MD · 4.9★ · Sign shop
• Signarama Glen Burnie, MD · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Timonium, MD · 4.9★ · Sign shop

If you're looking for commercial sign companies in Maryland for retail centers, office buildings, and multi-tenant properties, I’d shortlist these based on their documented capabilities, commercial focus, and current local presence. I’m not treating “best” as a formal ranking; the right choice depends on whether you need exterior building identification, tenant signage, monument/pylon signs, or a complete interior/exterior package.

Strong Maryland options

• Baltimore Signs & Graphics — Rosedale/Baltimore County. Full-service capability covering channel letters, LED signs, monument/pylon signs, architectural/building signage, lobby signs, directories, ADA signage, and wayfinding. This is a particularly relevant scope for office and retail properties.
• Baltimore Signsmiths — Owings Mills. Offers building signs, channel letters, dimensional letters, storefront signs, monument/pylon signs, lobby signs and LED signage, making it suitable for both exterior property identification and interior corporate branding.
• SOL Signs & Graphics — Columbia. A full-service provider serving Central Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia, with both building/channel-letter signage and office/lobby signage. Their office work includes dimensional lettering, metal/acrylic logos, room identification, directional and ADA signage.
• Signarama of Catonsville, MD — Catonsville. Established local operation with a broad commercial range including channel letters, box signs, dimensional letters, directories, ADA/Braille signage and building/wayfinding signs.
• Signarama Glen Burnie, MD — useful for the Baltimore/Anne Arundel corridor. Handles building identification, illuminated signage, lobby/reception signage, office signage and property-management-related signage.
• FASTSIGNS of Timonium, MD — Timonium. Broad commercial offering covering building signage, wayfinding, directories, ADA signs, monument signs, interior branding and retail point-of-purchase signage. It currently shows 171 Google reviews in the business listing, although review counts change over time.
• Strategic Factory — Owings Mills. Formerly A|A Signs, this is worth considering for a larger or more complex property program. Its published capabilities specifically include monument signs, pylons, digital displays, wayfinding, office-building signage, commercial real estate signage, reception/corporate ID, retail and storefront signs.
• District Visual Communications (DVC) — particularly relevant if the property is in the DC/Montgomery County corridor. They handle retail tenant storefront packages, channel letters, ADA/interior signage, design, fabrication, permitting and installation across Maryland, DC and Northern Virginia.

How I'd narrow it down

For a shopping center or retail property, I'd get proposals from companies that can handle the entire package: pylon/monument → building signs → tenant panels → channel letters → window graphics → parking/wayfinding.

For an office building, I'd prioritize companies that can coordinate building identification + monument sign + lobby/reception + tenant directory + suite signs + ADA/wayfinding rather than a shop that primarily does banners and promotional graphics.

For a multi-tenant commercial property, ask specifically whether they will handle landlord sign criteria, tenant sign submissions, permitting, fabrication and installation. Maryland municipalities can have fairly detailed rules governing sign size, placement and the number/type of tenant signs.

If you tell me what part of Maryland (Baltimore, Montgomery County, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Eastern Shore, etc.) and whether you're the property owner/manager or a retail tenant, I can narrow this to 5 companies and compare their specialties, service area, reviews, and contact information.

Places ChatGPT showed

• AMI Signs · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Strategic Factory - SF2 · 4.6★ · Sign shop
• Baltimore Signsmiths | Sign Company, Building Signs | Car Wrap, Vinyl Signs | Interior Sign · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Empire Graphics, Signs & Lighting · 4.8★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Annapolis, MD · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Owings Mills, MD · 4.9★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Rockville, MD · 4.9★ · Sign shop
• Best Sign USA · 4.3★ · Sign shop
• Sunny Signs · 5.0★ · Sign shop

If you're looking specifically for commercial building signs and illuminated channel letters in Maryland, I’d put these companies on your quote list. I’m not treating “best” as an objective ranking; these stand out based on their stated capabilities, Maryland presence, and available business/review information.

• AMI Signs — Frederick
  Particularly strong fit for channel letters. They report 40+ years of experience, 20,000+ signs/graphics, and handle design, fabrication, installation, and service. Their channel-letter work includes front-lit and halo-lit options.
• Strategic Factory - SF2 — Owings Mills
  Worth considering for larger commercial programs where you may need more than just one storefront sign.
• Baltimore Signsmiths — Owings Mills
  A strong Baltimore-area option for building signage and commercial sign work.
• DMS Sign Connection — Mount Airy
  This one is especially interesting if fabrication quality and channel-letter manufacturing are priorities. DMS says it makes channel letters in-house and handles installation and service itself; it also lists building signs and pylon/monument signs among its capabilities.
• Empire Graphics, Signs & Lighting — Accokeek
  Good option for illuminated commercial signage. They specifically offer electrical signs, cabinet signs, LED signs, and channel letters and serve Maryland, Virginia, DC and Delaware.
• FASTSIGNS of Annapolis, MD / FASTSIGNS of Owings Mills, MD / FASTSIGNS of Rockville, MD
  Useful if you're looking for a standardized commercial-sign process. For example, the Bethesda FASTSIGNS location explicitly handles channel letters from design through permitting and installation.
• Best Sign USA — Laurel
  Offers custom channel letters, pylon signs, dimensional letters and other commercial signage, with design, permitting, fabrication and installation handled in-house.
• Sunny Signs — Gaithersburg
  Another highly reviewed Maryland sign shop worth getting a comparison quote from.
• Chesapeake Signworks — Annapolis
  Particularly relevant if you're in Anne Arundel County. They state that they design, fabricate, permit and install channel letters throughout Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic.

For a commercial building, I'd compare these things

Don't compare quotes solely on the bottom-line price. Ask each company to quote the same specification:

• Aluminum channel-letter construction
• Face-lit vs. reverse/halo-lit
• LED color and brightness
• Raceway vs. direct mounting
• Transformer/power requirements
• UL listing where applicable
• Engineering and structural attachment
• Electrical work
• Permit drawings and municipality submission
• Lift/equipment costs
• Removal of existing signage
• Warranty on LEDs, power supplies and workmanship
• Service/repair response after installation

If this is for a multi-location commercial project, tell me the Maryland city/county and roughly how many signs you need. I can narrow this to 5–7 companies that actually handle larger commercial building/channel-letter projects, compare their capabilities, and pull together their contact/quote information.

Places ChatGPT showed

• East West Sign Group LLC · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Empire Graphics, Signs & Lighting · 4.4★ · Sign shop
• Samsung Sign Inc · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Sunny Signs · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• SOL Signs & Graphics · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Dundalk, MD · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Owings Mills, MD · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Rockville Sign Company · 4.9★ · Sign shop
• Mid-Atlantic Permitting Services · Legal Services

Yes. I found several Maryland sign companies that advertise end-to-end commercial sign projects, meaning some combination of site survey/design → permitting → fabrication → installation.

Companies I’d put on the shortlist

• East West Sign Group LLC — Catonsville/Baltimore area. Their listed workflow specifically includes site-specific code research, permit acquisition, fabrication, delivery, and installation. This is one of the clearest matches to what you're asking for.
• Empire Graphics, Signs & Lighting — Accokeek / Prince George's County. Advertises site surveys, permit acquisition, engineering, fabrication, installation, inspection closeouts, and ongoing service. Particularly relevant for illuminated/electrical commercial signs.
• Samsung Sign Inc — Laurel. Advertises an end-to-end process covering design, permitting, fabrication, installation, and maintenance, including storefront and illuminated signage.
• Sunny Signs — Gaithersburg. Offers commercial signage with design, production, permitting assistance, and on-site installation.
• SOL Signs & Graphics — Columbia. Full-service commercial signage with design, production and professional installation; worth asking specifically whether they will be the permit applicant and manage the approval process.
• FASTSIGNS of Dundalk, MD — Baltimore area. Lists survey/permitting support, project management, production and installation.
• FASTSIGNS of Owings Mills, MD — Baltimore County. Provides commercial sign design/production and installation, with permit-navigation support available for applicable projects.
• Rockville Sign Company — Montgomery County area. Offers site surveys, permit support for applicable exterior signage, fabrication and installation.

A particularly useful option if permitting is the bottleneck

Mid-Atlantic Permitting Services, LLC isn't primarily a sign manufacturer, but specializes in commercial sign permitting. They say they handle zoning/code research, applications, submissions, plan-review comments and permit issuance.

That's potentially useful if you have a preferred sign fabricator but want someone else to own the permitting.

One important Maryland wrinkle

"End-to-end" can mean different things. Maryland projects can involve local zoning/sign permits, building/electrical permits, and in some circumstances MDOT/SHA approvals. For example, Montgomery County requires a permanent exterior sign permit, and illuminated signs require both sign and electrical permits. Prince George's County likewise has separate requirements and notes that illuminated signage requires an electrical permit.

So when you call, I'd ask this exact question:

> "Will you handle the complete permit process as the contractor/applicant, including zoning, building and electrical permits where required, respond to plan-review comments, obtain approvals, schedule inspections, fabricate the sign, and perform the final installation?"

That separates a true turnkey sign contractor from a company that merely helps with paperwork.

If you tell me the Maryland city/county where the sign will be installed (e.g. Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Anne Arundel, Howard, Prince George's), I can narrow this to 5–8 companies that specifically serve that jurisdiction and actually handle its permit process, rather than just advertising general permit assistance.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Baltimore Signsmiths | Sign Company, Building Signs | Car Wrap, Vinyl Signs | Interior Sign · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Baltimore Signs & Graphics · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Image360 Middle River · 4.9★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Timonium, MD · 4.9★ · Sign shop
• Signarama Glen Burnie, MD · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Signarama of Catonsville, MD · 4.9★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Downtown Baltimore, MD · 4.4★ · Sign shop

If by “reliable” you mean established, full-service, capable of handling commercial installation/permitting, and with solid current customer feedback, these are the Baltimore-area companies I’d put on a quote list. I’m not ranking them, but I’d compare at least 3 before choosing.

• Baltimore Signsmiths — Owings Mills. Full-service commercial signage covering design, permitting, fabrication, installation, and maintenance. Their site says they handle roughly 250–275 commercial signage projects annually and work across the Baltimore metro.
• Baltimore Signs & Graphics — Rosedale. A locally owned shop offering exterior/interior signs, installation, vehicle graphics and other commercial work. Their current site shows numerous recent customer comments specifically mentioning responsiveness, installation, and commercial projects.
• Image360 Middle River — Middle River. Particularly worth considering for larger business/organizational projects where you want design, production, installation and project coordination under one roof. The business-search data shows 4.9/5 from 126 reviews.
• FASTSIGNS of Timonium, MD — Timonium. Full-service commercial signage, including exterior signs, ADA signage, monument signs and installation. The current business listing shows 4.9/5 from 171 reviews.
• Signarama Glen Burnie, MD — Glen Burnie/Curtis Bay. A broad commercial-sign provider with building signs, illuminated signage, graphics and installation; its current listing shows 5.0/5 from 118 reviews.
• Signarama of Catonsville, MD — Catonsville. Full-service signs/graphics with design, project management and installation; useful if you're on the west/southwest side of the metro area. Its current listing shows 4.9/5 from 90 reviews.
• FASTSIGNS of Downtown Baltimore, MD — Downtown Baltimore. Convenient for City projects and offers commercial installation, permitting assistance and a wide range of exterior/interior signage.
• DUO Signage + Graphics — based in Baltimore and established in 2010; they specifically emphasize custom signage, large-format graphics, skilled installation and full-scope projects.
• Harbour Sign & Graphics — Baltimore company with 30+ years of industry experience, offering fabrication, installation and maintenance of interior/exterior signage, including ADA, architectural, fleet and specialty signs.
• Adler Display — a larger Mid-Atlantic signage operation that handles custom design, fabrication and installation, including corporate, lobby, directional and exterior signage.

For a serious commercial project

I'd specifically ask each bidder for:

1. A site survey before final pricing.
2. Permit handling — particularly important in Baltimore City and historic districts.
3. A rendering showing exactly what the finished sign will look like.
4. Material specifications and expected service life.
5. Who actually performs the installation and electrical work.
6. Warranty terms for fabrication, LEDs/electrical components and installation.
7. Two or three recent commercial references involving similar signs.
8. A firm timeline separating permitting, fabrication and installation.

For example, Baltimore Signsmiths explicitly describes handling permitting, code compliance, fabrication and installation, while FASTSIGNS Downtown says it can handle permits and installation as part of the project.

If you tell me what kind of sign you need—e.g. illuminated channel letters, monument/entrance sign, pylon, building sign, interior lobby signage, or a complete multi-location rollout—I can narrow this to 3–5 Baltimore companies that are particularly suited to that type of project, including their approximate scale, reviews, location, and contact information.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Kenney Signs, Inc. · 4.2★ · Sign shop
• Western Maryland Sign Services Inc. · 4.3★ · Sign shop
• Custom Concepts LLC · 5.0★ · Graphic designer
• Deer Park Signs · 4.7★ · Sign shop
• Sign Here · 4.6★ · Sign shop
• Kenney Signs, Inc. · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• ShieldCo · 5.0★ · Sign shop

If by Western Maryland you mean roughly Garrett, Allegany, Washington, and Frederick counties, there are several solid commercial sign companies. I’d shortlist these based on local presence, commercial capabilities, reviews, and the range of work they advertise—not simply by star rating.

• Kenney Signs, Inc. — Frostburg / Hagerstown. A long-established Western Maryland sign company with a broad commercial offering, including illuminated signs, channel letters, monument/pylon signs, dimensional lettering, and specialty signage. They describe a full design-to-manufacture-to-install workflow and serve the broader quad-state region.
• Western Maryland Sign Services Inc. — Frostburg. Particularly worth considering for businesses in Allegany County and the surrounding area. They offer full-service commercial signage, including design, fabrication, installation, and illuminated/electric signage.
• Custom Concepts LLC — Frostburg. A well-reviewed local shop offering commercial signs, illuminated/non-illuminated signage, vehicle graphics, banners, digital printing, and specialty graphics.
• Deer Park Signs — Oakland / Garrett County. A strong local option if you're around Deep Creek Lake, Oakland, McHenry, or the rest of Garrett County. They handle commercial signs, dimensional signage, banners, vinyl graphics, decals, and related work.
• Sign Here — Hagerstown. A full-service commercial sign and graphics operation with design, fabrication, installation, architectural signage, ADA signage, channel letters, electric signs, LED message centers, and wayfinding. They serve the broader MD/PA/WV/VA area.
• Kenney Signs, Inc. — Hagerstown location. Especially interesting for larger or more traditional commercial sign projects; the company dates to 1949 and handles custom fabrication and installation.
• Architectural Sign & Design — Frederick. A particularly relevant choice for architectural/commercial projects, including dimensional building signage, channel letters, ADA/Braille signage, and wayfinding.
• ShieldCo — Frederick. More specialized toward custom dimensional metal signage and architectural/logo pieces, so it's worth considering if appearance and fabrication quality are more important than commodity signage.

How I'd narrow it down

For a large commercial exterior project—monument sign, illuminated channel letters, pylon, building identification, etc.—I'd get quotes from Kenney Signs, Sign Here, and Architectural Sign & Design.

For Garrett/Deep Creek, I'd start with Deer Park Signs and Kenney Signs.

For Allegany County/Frostburg/Cumberland, I'd look closely at Kenney Signs, Western Maryland Sign Services, and Custom Concepts.

For Frederick County, Architectural Sign & Design and ShieldCo are particularly interesting depending on whether you need conventional commercial signage or a more architectural/custom fabricated look.

If you tell me what kind of commercial sign you need (e.g. illuminated channel letters, monument sign, pylon, building sign, interior/ADA, or a complete storefront package) and which Western Maryland town, I can narrow this to 3–5 companies that specifically do that type of work and compare their reviews, capabilities, and locations.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Next Day Sign Express · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Dmv Sign & Printing · 4.7★ · Commercial printer
• Signs By Tomorrow Rockville · 3.0★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Rockville, MD · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS® of Bethesda, MD · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• SOL Signs & Graphics · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• FASTSIGNS of Timonium, MD · 4.9★ · Sign shop

If turnaround speed is the priority, these Maryland sign companies stand out based on their published turnaround promises and current local listings:

• Next Day Sign Express — College Park. Explicitly offers 24-hour service/next-business-day pickup for many signs, and says same-day service may be available for an extra charge.
• DMV Sign & Printing — Silver Spring. Customer feedback cited by its listing mentions very fast turnaround and same-day service for some jobs, particularly decals/graphics.
• Signs By Tomorrow Rockville — Derwood/Rockville. A good option for commercial building, storefront, dimensional, and exterior signs when you need a fast local shop.
• FASTSIGNS of Rockville, MD — Rockville. Full-service commercial signage with design, production, and installation; useful if you need the entire project coordinated rather than just printing.
• FASTSIGNS® of Bethesda, MD — Bethesda. Its current customer feedback specifically emphasizes fast turnaround and responsiveness on short-notice projects.
• SOL Signs & Graphics — Columbia. Full-service commercial shop covering everything from decals and temporary signs to channel letters and building signage.
• FASTSIGNS of Timonium, MD — Timonium. Particularly worth considering around Baltimore; its customer feedback repeatedly highlights speed and responsiveness.

If you need it today

For straightforward printed signs, banners, yard signs, foam board, or decals, same-day specialists may be faster than traditional commercial sign fabricators:

• SameDay Print Co. — production facility in Lanham; says orders submitted before noon may qualify for same-day production, depending on file readiness, quantity, product, and capacity.
• Charmed Creations Print Houz — Owings; advertises same-day printing for signs and other products.
• Meeting Signs — Columbia; publishes same-day production as its "Super Rush" option when approved by noon, versus 1-day and 2-day rush options.

Important distinction: same-day printing is very different from same-day fabrication and installation of illuminated channel letters, monument signs, dimensional lettering, or storefront signs. Those projects commonly require permitting, fabrication, and installation, so the fastest provider depends heavily on the sign type.

If you tell me what kind of sign you need (e.g., storefront/channel letters, building sign, banner, yard sign, vehicle graphics, or interior office sign), quantity, and your Maryland city/ZIP, I can narrow this to the 3 fastest realistic options and compare their published turnaround times.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Shannon-Baum Signs · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Baltimore Signsmiths | Sign Company, Building Signs | Car Wrap, Vinyl Signs | Interior Sign · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Baltimore Signs & Graphics · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• SUN SIGN of Ellicott City ,MD ( Signs & Graphics | Indoor & Outdoor Business Signage, Custom Signs ) · 5.0★ · Sign shop
• Signs By Tomorrow Rockville · 3.0★ · Sign shop
• Pasadena Signs · 4.6★ · Sign shop
• DMS Sign Connection · 4.4★ · Sign shop
• Pollitt Signs · 3.7★ · Sign shop
• Kenney Signs, Inc. · 5.0★ · Sign shop

If by “trusted” you mean long-established, family/local ownership, commercial capability, and evidence of repeat business or customer satisfaction, these Maryland shops stand out from the research I found. I’m not ranking them, but grouping them by where they may fit.

• Shannon-Baum Signs — Eldersburg/Sykesville area
  Family-owned and full-service, with commercial signs, vehicle graphics, large-format printing and installation. Maryland’s State Highway Administration also lists its Eldersburg facility as a qualified producer for state-project aluminum signs.
• Baltimore Signsmiths — Owings Mills
  A locally based commercial sign manufacturer offering exterior building signs, channel letters, monument/pylon signs, interior/ADA signage, vehicle graphics and installation. Its current business listing shows 40 reviews at 5.0.
• Shannon-Baum Signs — Eldersburg
  Particularly worth considering for a larger commercial program or a combination of building signage and fleet graphics. The company describes itself as family-owned and has broad in-house capabilities.
• Baltimore Signs & Graphics — Rosedale/Baltimore County
  Locally owned, full-service sign and graphics company handling exterior signage, storefronts, vehicle graphics and large-format/event work. Its business profile currently shows a 5.0 rating, although the review count is small.
• SUN SIGN of Ellicott City — Ellicott City
  Full-service indoor/outdoor commercial signage and vehicle graphics. The current business listing shows 37 reviews at 5.0.
• Signs By Tomorrow Rockville — Rockville
  Independently/local family operated despite the national brand, with more than 30 years serving the Maryland/DC/VA market. It handles commercial signage, ADA, digital signs, displays and larger sign packages.
• Pasadena Signs — Baltimore area
  Family-owned and operated since 1965, with traditional and digital commercial signage, design, fabrication and installation. The company advertises a two-year parts-and-labor warranty.
• DMS Sign Connection — Mount Airy
  A particularly established family operation: DMS says it has been in business since 1985 and is personally operated by Maura and John Kelly. It does everything from ADA/lobby signs to illuminated building signs, monuments and large pylon signs, and says much of its business comes from referrals and repeat customers.
• Pollitt Signs — Harford/Cecil County
  Founded in 1947 and family-operated, with commercial/industrial sign design, manufacturing, installation and vehicle graphics. It specifically emphasizes long-term customer relationships.
• Kenney Signs — Western Maryland
  Family-owned and operated with 77 years of sign-industry experience according to the company. It designs and manufactures custom commercial signs and serves the Hagerstown and Frostburg regions.
• VH Sign Company — Upper Marlboro
  A family business dating to 1982. It was founded by Valerie and Herbert Howe and is now run by their daughter and son-in-law. It offers dimensional letters, monument signs, interior/exterior signs, vehicle graphics, traffic signs and installation.
• SignTek MD — Bowie
  Family-owned, with the current owner taking over in 2015 after the business was started by his uncle. Particularly interesting if you need LED/gas-price signs, channel letters, pylon signs, large-format printing, lighting or gas-station rebranding.

If you're choosing a vendor for a commercial project

I'd look beyond star ratings and ask each company:

1. Do you fabricate in-house or outsource?
2. Who handles permitting and engineering?
3. Do you provide installation and future service/repair?
4. Can you show me 3–5 comparable commercial installations?
5. Can you provide references from businesses with similar-sized projects?
6. What is your warranty on both materials and workmanship?
7. Can you handle a multi-location rollout if needed?

For a large commercial building, property-management portfolio, retail center, medical facility, or multi-location business, I'd pay particular attention to DMS, Shannon-Baum, Pollitt, Pasadena, Kenney and SignWorks because their published capabilities and histories indicate they handle more than simple banners and vinyl lettering. SignWorks, for example, describes itself as a locally family-owned Forest Hill manufacturer with in-house fabrication and installation.

If you tell me what part of Maryland (Baltimore, DC suburbs, Eastern Shore, Southern Maryland, Western Maryland, etc.) and what kind of signs you need—e.g. storefront/channel letters, monument signs, interior/ADA, pylon, vehicle fleet, or a complete property package—I can narrow this to 5–7 genuinely comparable local companies and compare their ownership, years in business, reviews, capabilities, and service area.