Why Updating One Hotel Sign Became One of My Most Meaningful Hospitality Wins
I hope this project isn’t the pinnacle of my hospitality career, but it is one of the most meaningful challenges I’ve conquered so far. When I began my journey at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Nashville Downtown as a Concierge in 2016, this exterior sign still promoted “Swanks Wine and Martini Bar” and “The Plaza Café”—food and beverage outlets whose names had been discontinued nearly a decade earlier, around 2006.
Nearly every time a guest stopped by the Concierge desk asking where “Swanks” was located, I’d send a note to Anna Stone, CGSP, who was the Director of Sales and Marketing at the time. Eventually, she gently told me I’d need to stop sending those emails—the sign wasn’t going to change, it was outside her control, and ownership wouldn’t approve an update. I couldn’t even obtain a vendor quote to correct it. I understood the reality of it, but the sign continued to age poorly as the restaurant evolved from “Swanks” to “Restaurant 315,” and later to “Fourth and U” (or “4th and U,” “4th & U,” or “Fourth & U,” depending on who you asked). To make matters worse, the Starbucks® logo on the sign had also become outdated as the brand itself evolved.
Fast forward to 2025 and I’m at Spire Hospitality who manages the property: not only has the sign finally been updated, but it’s illuminated for the first time ever. This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the support of General Manager Carl Barnes and Director of Sales and Marketing Jennie McNier, who believed in seeing this through. Jennie often said about this project, “The impossible is possible,” and she was absolutely right.
I wish I had a photo of how the original sign looked, but I don’t. What I do have is the old “Swanks” insert, now sitting in my home office—a small but powerful souvenir of a long, patient, and ultimately rewarding road.
PS: Thanks to Wade Berryman and his team at Adams Signs of Nashville for their great help in getting the sign inserts printed, installed, and the sign ultimately illuminated.
