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Crawford Pizza employees Elizabeth Russell (left) and Caitlin Hartrum stand in front of the restaurant’s mural earlier this month. Russell, who lives in Crawford, and Hartrum, who lives in Lexington, said it helps welcome people to the county. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo) -
A & B Emporium, which is adjacent to Crawford Pizza in downtown Crawford, features a mural of Dis- ney characters. Alice Williamson, owner of A & B Emporium, said her mural has helped attract visitors and spur business since it was painted about five years ago. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)
Every day for almost a year, a large mural has greeted those who drive through downtown Crawford.
The mural’s bold, white letters — “It’s nice to have you in Crawford Georgia” — stand out against the red brick on an exterior wall of Crawford Pizza.
“It does kind of make me smile that it’s something better for the community, for everybody who comes up and down,” said Blake Arnold, co-owner of the restaurant. “It just gives you that welcoming, warm feeling. It’s something that we are proud of, and we were happy that we were able to complete.”
Arnold and fellow co-owner Noah Shealy commissioned the mural. Levi Dilley, the owner of Signs and Wonders of Monroe, designed and painted the mural last June.
Arnold said it was important that the building look like an “old classic building.”
“They came to me when they first bought the building and wanted a mural on the side, something that really brought some town pride,” Dilley said. “Just something that was honoring the town's historical structure. Clean, nothing with too much going on.”
The mural is visible from U.S. Highway 78, which runs through downtown Crawford. According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, more than 11,000 vehicles pass the mural daily.
“This is one of the first things you see once you enter Oglethorpe,” said Elizabeth Russell, a Crawford resident and employee at Crawford Pizza.
Williamson Sintyl, chairman of the Oglethorpe Chamber of Commerce, said the mural’s welcoming words signify a deep message to visitors.
“I feel like this shows that we welcome a better future, we welcome people to invest, welcome people to come get a taste of Oglethorpe and to visit our county,” Sintyl said.
The restaurant's highly visible storefront underwent a major transformation when Crawford Pizza purchased it from Papa’s Pizza To Go and began renovations last year. The building previously had a lower roofline, green brick and worn signage.
“When Crawford Pizza came in, it really helped a lot because it kind of made things look new again,” said Alice Williamson, owner of A & B Emporium, which is next to Crawford Pizza. “I think it looks neater now, more clean.”
Arnold said the visually appealing storefront helps attract business to Crawford Pizza and its neighbors. He has received compliments from several local business owners and customers.
“Any kind of mural or anything like that just really brings something to the city,” Williamson said. “People stop and look, and they pay attention.”
Williamson started forming these beliefs prior to Crawford Pizza’s mural. Her shop has featured a large mural of Disney characters on its side wall for about five years.
“I've heard people come into the store and say that they had to stop when they saw the mural and come in,” she said. “We've even had people stop and take their picture in front of the mural.”
Williamson reached out to Athens-based artist Jess Ulrich after seeing her Facebook post about seeking out a blank wall to spray paint a mural. After Williamson approved Ulrich’s designs, she created the mural in about two days.
Linda Parish, office manager for the Oglethorpe Chamber of Commerce and owner of Local Color in Lexington, said she’s been trying to obtain a grant to have murals painted in Lexington.
“I've been involved in tourism for a long time, and I think the murals do add a lot,” Parish said.
She said a mural could help people pay more attention to the cities in Oglethorpe County.
“I think a lot of people that are passing through don't even know what town they're in,” she said. “They come in my shop in Lexington and ask, ‘Where am I?’”
Dilley said he loves to “create visual landmarks that really help you remember a town.”
“I love just transforming buildings into pieces that represent people’s identity, a community’s identity, to help them communicate a story,” he said.
Dilley also painted the sign on the front of Crawford Pizza and its interior mural, and drew the restaurant’s menu on a chalkboard wall inside.
Shealy said Crawford Pizza’s mural has already gained attention in the community. Jessica’s School of Dance in Crawford asked to take photos in front of the mural, and Oglethorpe County Middle School created T-shirts inspired by the mural.
Shealy said he’s enjoyed “making something nice that people are proud of.”