PLEASANTON— Chad Snook is in the business of making signs for real estate agents and others trying to sell homes, but with everyone needing to shelter in place these days because of the coronavirus pandemic, he’s changed the message on many of his signs.
Instead of listing the prices, number of rooms and amenities of houses on the market, the new signs are meant to instill pride in those who stay inside their homes to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
The 18-by-24-inch signs that proclaim “This Family Stays Home” are popping up all over the front lawns of homes in Pleasanton, Livermore and Dublin.
Made by Snook’s Livermore-based company Fast Post, they’re also being sold online to ship anywhere in the United States. People as far away as Las Vegas and Oregon have already ordered some, Snook said.
Part of the proceeds from those sales are being directed to help Livermore’s small businesses weather the storm of shutdown orders imposed by Bay Area counties in the battle against COVID-19.
Snook has partnered with Livermore Downtown Inc, which will help distribute the funds to businesses in need.
“I think they’re (small businesses) struggling more than people know,” he said in a phone interview Wednesday.
With the signs, he wanted to send a positive message to the community that “we’re all in this together,” a message that has resonated everywhere since the coronavirus invasion.
“This is something we’re doing as a family. I didn’t want to shame anyone: I’m doing this because I’m proud of this,” he said.
He said the signs also hold people accountable: you put one up and you’re less likely to leave your home and risk spreading the virus.
“We’re all in our homes, and I think people are getting stressed out… the more we can bond together, the better chance we have to stick it out in these next 30 days,” he said.
His 14-year-old business is only a handful of those in the area that make “for sale” and other real estate-type signs, he said.
As soon as the shelter-in-place order was enacted on March 17, Snook said he wanted to do something to keep the printers and his employees working.
“I came up with the idea, what if we were able to solve a few problems with the signs? We keep our workers busy and are promoting the social distancing,” Snook said.
He also wanted to uplift spirits and spread the pride people have when doing their part in the crisis.
Still, just like so many other businesses that have been slammed by coronavirus, Snook said he has had to furlough some employees and reduce the hours of others.
Meanwhile, he and his family can be found helping put up the “This Family Stays Home” in the Tri-Valley area. When he shows up to some homes with sign and stake in hand, families emerge to express their appreciation, if only for a moment.
“They get out of their house and I like to see their smiling faces,” he said.
For more information on the signs, visit www.thisfamilystayshome.com.
