Algerian Font Sightings

Available in VHS or Beta

2010-11-24T18:13:00.000-08:00

Another entry in our ongoing vintage t-shirt collection, this classic 80s tee boasts of one's unrequited love the Miami area movie rental hub Gonzalez Video. And FYI, Algerian font don't charge no late fees!

I Dream of Anfisa

2010-11-24T18:09:00.000-08:00

The local sex personals paper out here is called the LA Xpress. Sexy Russian model Anfisa Jeffries(?) has now graced this classy rag's cover twice in the last six months, and each time her name appears in the most risque font of all. You go, girl!

Manicures and Beers in New York's Little Algeria

2010-11-24T18:03:00.000-08:00

While in NYC last July I just knew there'd be some businesses that loved Algerian font asmuch as they do out here in LA. Lo and behold, I drank my beer with manicured hands...

Sock It To Me

2010-11-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

It's getting down into the 50s here in LA, time to get some winter clothes! The Supply Sergeant is an old Burbank surplus store that always delivers the goods. And not only did I get a warm pair of wool socks, I added to my Algerian collection, hehe...

The Algerian Punk Rock Scene Goes Global

2010-11-24T17:54:00.000-08:00

While visiting my old friend Will Cole in NYC last summer we talked about the good old days of bands and zines, and he produced this original flyer circa 1996 for his band The Infertil rockin' ye olde Algerian itself. 90s, baby!

He currently plays in the band Olde Ghost and runs the label Handstand Records, check it out!

High Speed Chase

2010-11-24T17:49:00.000-08:00

What's that in the distance??? Methinks there's some Algerian on that bus up ahead. Driver, speed up!

Yes indeed, that very much is our favorite font. That bus is outrageously painted, just can't quite make out what it is...

It's a darn Mariachi bus!!! Toca la guitara por mi corazon para siempre...

Font of the Wild

2010-10-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

Telluride's famous Fly Me to the Moon Saloon understands that in order to support natural wildlife habitats, one must use designs, materials, and of course fonts that put animals at ease.

Well done, guys. The otters thank you!

Paint It Algerian

2010-10-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

Back in July I visited NYC and just knew I would find some good Algerian fontage during my wanderings. Here we have a couple jovial painters shooting the breeze in a mysterious language during their lunch break.

Look at this guy! Who knew Algerian font could make a man so happy?

Global Paint is based in Brooklyn but doesn't have a website.

Algerian T-Shirt Art

2010-10-21T14:28:00.000-07:00

This should be one of many future installments chronicling t-shirts that throughout the years have used Algerian font in their designs.

Patriotic Harley Davidson tee from 1987

Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes Basketball tee from 2004

Snoopy is Irish tee circa 1988

Highly distressed Caribbean yacht club 80s tee

Obnoxiously cute iron-on tee circa 1980

Embroidered Las Vegas casino bowling shirt...nice!!!

Biker rally tee from 1999

Algeria supports the 2nd Amendment! Early 80s iron-on awesomeness...

Minnesota volleyball glory can be yours...

North Dakota steamboat, mid- to late 80s

Colorado eats!!! Mid-80s.

Vermont surplus store, late 80s.

Algeria Ink

2010-10-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

As if Burbank bar Tony's Darts Away didn't already have enough going for it--great California IPAs and all natural food--we discovered that one of the lovely ladies working is a bigger fan of Algerian than we are!

The tattoo on her wrist reads "V Praze" which translates into "In Prague." Another pint, please!

Only the Lonely

2010-10-09T15:10:00.000-07:00

All I was trying to do was help my mom find Spider Solitaire to use on her iPod...but lurking in the shadows of every web search is the threat of an encounter with an Algerian Black Widow! This version of the game created by VilleMobile is ready to indulge your card playing cravings.

Even Mexican Wrestling is Down with Algerian

2010-10-03T00:59:00.000-07:00

So I get back home late on a Saturday night after some serious drinking with friends, and once I've seen all the college football highlights it's time to channel surf. Nothing appeals more to my intoxicated mind than some low budget, low brow, low attendance Mexican tag team wrestling.

And to prove how deep the Algerian sickness goes, through my drunken stupor I manage to digest the fact the venue uses our favorite font for its logo in a two-second shot of several masked wrestlers swapping out during the match. Hit pause. Grab camera. Upload pic. Post blog. Don't get laid once again.

We think the "El Cuadrilatero" is in Mexico City or Laredo, Texas. Use your own Google skills to find that out, we're ready for bed or a Heineken...

The Front of Choice from Bluegrass to Thrash Metal

2010-10-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles bluegrass/folk/gospel group Killing Cassanova posted this logo flyer at Molly Malone's and I was instantly a fan. But wait! My metal buddies know a guy who works over at Tin Horn Flats in Burbank, turns out he played drums for the band Flatline...and they are HUGE proponents of Algerian lettering.

And what's even better, for a modern metal band that has a lot of songs about how mean "you" were to the singer, the music definitely rips off some wieners. Kudos guys! And finally we have the NY band Human who use the font for both their band logo and album title. Whoa now!

I saw their CD for sale when I was in NYC and just recently checked them out online--I guess "prog metal" is a friendly term for mediocre hard rock with nu metal influences. But anyway, Algerian font clearly has a strong foothold in the music world.

My Past Coming Back to Haunt Me

2010-10-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

From the "Don't Throw Stones" department comes this bittersweet piece of self-incriminating evidence. I published an underground metal zine from 1995-99 and part of the whole experience involved learning about graphic design--including exploring the many fonts out there.

Here we have issue #5 of Sloth zine where the main band, England's mighty Bal-Sagoth, was introduced to American audiences with the mightiest of typeface swords, Ye Olde Algerian Font! Oh Odin, please forgive me for my youthful errors...

Order the Algerian Burger

2010-10-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

Even if we stopped looking for the damn font apparently it's gonna come to us, as this menu rubber-banded to our office doorknob proves. Downtown Burbank's Great Grill serves up tasty burgers in the 1950s style, and they know that if you want your ads to "always be closing," Algerian font is the way to go.

I vaguely remember having lunch here with my friend years ago and managing to get the waitress's phone number, but she blew me off when I called her later in the week. Thankfully my days as a member of Waitress Watchers are over...

Oh, Now You're a Font Elitist

2010-10-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

Wandering down Colorado St in Glendale, we happened upon Elite Credit Solutions Center, where you can work on getting "that perfect FICO score." Typical post-manufacturing, post-real estate collapse fakework America. Obaaaaaaaaama, Obaaaaaaaaaaaama!!!

I think I'll head into the Boudoir instead...

Thanks for the Memories

2010-09-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

God bless Fry's Electronics in Burbank, CA. They know that nothing says "buy me" like our favorite font in big, bold letters at the end of an aisle. And here I was thinking I was gonna buy a lamp, ha!

The Font That Kills Rapists Dead

2010-09-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

Behold 80s German thrash attack BREAKER, whose only album "Dead Rider" from 1985 features such neck-whipping anthems as "Street Fighter," "Run for Your Life," and the blazing "Rapist Killer". Grab that air geetar 'cuz it's time to rock!!!

Music To My Eyes!

2010-09-08T21:07:00.000-07:00

Were it possible to transcribe the sweetest tune into fontography; Had Vivaldi found the strength to master the visual arts; Could the harmonious elegance of the atom's nucleus be described to any man in three simple words...

Man's Best Friend

2010-09-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

Alas, long before dogs kept lonesome frontiersmen company by the campfire, it was in fact the turtle, with it's cool and collected mannerisms, that soothed the cowboy in his solitary plight. This little known fact of history may have been forgotten had it not been for this brand of Western Wear assuring it's persistence. And by means of an association no less. No doubt the members of this elite club are the life of any Square Dance.

Holy Moly This Font is Everywhere

2010-09-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

That's right, the Ronnie James Dio tribute band Holy Diver said to hell with unreadable pointy logos and went straight for the Algerian. Catch them live this Friday night at Paladino's in North Hollywood.

Algerian Font Wanted Dead or Alive

2010-08-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

This original Harley Davidson tee from 1992 is listed up on eBay right now. Hounded by the law, this fugitive font rides the back roads in defiance of justice and design principles.

Algerian Real Estate Scam Exposed

2010-08-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

What looks like a quaint little building at the NW corner of Alameda and Lake in Burbank is in fact nothing but a front for Algerian money laundering in the latest real estate scam among the epidemic of foreclosures and fraud across the nation. It's for sale!!! No, it's for lease! Ack, we don't know, just give us your damn money!!!

And a quick look at the Chase Company website reveals a classic example of a Baby Boomer web page where the designer still thinks the internet is in 1996. While the main page is borderline tolerable, click on any link and enter an ugly world of gray backgrounds and absurd stock photography.

Controversial Romanian Coin Offends Not Only Jews

2010-08-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

Romania has recently come under fire by Jewish groups for this coin honoring former prime minister Miron Cristea, who "stripped Jews of their citizenship before WWII." But honestly, the real insult here comes in the form of the typeface chosen by the designers at the Romanian Mint in Bucharest.

That's right, those insensitive bastards have enshrined the infamous Algerian font for all time by emblazoning it upon the Cristea coin. We demand the immediate melting down of all pieces with the raw silver being donated to Israel .

Corporate Espionage at Citi Group

2010-08-12T22:58:00.000-07:00

From our agent in New York City comes this disturbing proof that the Algerian conspiracy has even made its way into the corporate skyscrapers of high finance on Wall Street.

In the pantry area on one floor in the Citi Group building hangs the following chilling admonition:

Not only is there a completely misplaced apostrophe, the designer even tried his hand at poetic page layout with near fatal results. If, Odin forbid, the nation's economy suffers further and more bailouts are proposed, please demand that your Congressman comb the legislation for any earmarks for Algerian banks.

America: More like fondue

2010-07-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

You know we're making strides in acceptance when a southern recipe like biscuits merges with exotic flavors and then slaps an Algerian font on the package. This company gets credit for adding another bolt to the bridge of world homogeneity.
I always thought a melting pot was a crude analogy for the mix of cultures in America. It's certainly more like fondue; A good time, but cheesy and expensive.

Mystery Solved!

2010-07-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

This nationally distributed magazine features the freshest mystery and short stories. To the trained eye there's hardly any mystery surrounding the bold font gracing this publication's cover. I solved another mystery today; that the Algerian font is credited to designer Alan Carr. Way to go Al!

Landlords may not be so out of touch

2010-07-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

As we strolled past our former office building, we noticed these new signs. About the only thing golden about that place was all the urine from the bums that would relieve themselves by the entrance to our office, driving us to a new location for the better. Of course despite our numerous complaints it would be years of vacancy before this sign was posted as a last ditch effort to maybe keep the entrance to the rental property free of human feces and empty beer cans.

Gastronomy shmastronomy

2010-07-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

One of the bittersweet sides of L.A. is the palm trees that get in the way of your picture. One of the other bittersweet sides is the ever growing Armenian population. Not because I don't like them, but because they literally often wear a bitter look on their faces but own many sweet restaurants. Like Garni. Note the Ionic column clip-art. That's but a mere tease of the myriad gold and black decor awaiting within.

USA Defeats Algeria

2010-06-28T14:10:00.000-07:00

It was truly poetic, fitting, and ultimately just that the United States soccer team should defeat Algeria in the World Cup last week. Thanks to the internet their font has already spread much farther than merited, and had they advanced to the tournament's knockout round no doubt people in far off lands would have been exposed to it, like innocent children injecting heroin for the first time out of curiosity and becoming hopelessly addicted.

Good on ya, Donovan! Sorry about your defenders blowing it against Ghana...

In Search of the Truth

2010-06-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

Online conspiracy chicks The Truther Girls didn't bother scrolling through available fonts in letters B-Z when they stumbled upon our friend Algerian. 800,000 video views later, these nerdy ladies are preaching the North African gospels...

Noy!

2010-04-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

If you want to impress your Armenian girlfriend's parents, bring them a bottle of Noy cognac next time you visit for dinner. And never forget, when she says "noy" she really means "yesy"

Worth it's Weight in Gold

2010-04-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

Sure, you could rely on a plain looking logo to entice investors to your business, or you could lure them in with the ease of a skilled bass fisher with a Swedish color scheme and, of course, a bold Algerian logo. The one thing that's startling is the company name. After all, the Aztecs didn't have much success holding on to their gold, did they?

Algerian Font is a Feast for the Eyes

2010-04-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

Not only is the Algerian font a favorite among immigrant markets and bakeries, but even high end opticians target their Mercedes- and BMW-driving clients with this enticing typeface that looks good no matter whether your vision is 20/20 or 20/800.

Boston and Chicago Have Nothing on the LA Socks

2010-04-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

Kudos to street team member Josh for snagging this on-the-go photo in Downtown Los Angeles recently. Right next to Tatu Zone, the LA Socks superstore is your ultimate source for not just socks but also underwear, pajama (only one, apparently), and most important of all...Lady Man T-shirt.

And this summer as the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox chase the pennant, can you forgive us if we dream of one day cheering on our very own Los Angeles Socks???

DeLuxe Means DeLicious Pastries and Cakes

2010-04-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

Right next door to my local dry cleaners we've got the grand opening of the DeLuxe bakery. No doubt the Armenian owners have just as good taste when it comes to logo design as they do preparing a tasty batch of nazooks. Capitalize the "L", add an "e" at the end, it's all good...

Watch & Jewelry Repair, Algerian Style

2010-03-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

From deep in the heart of Hollywood, just off of Sunset Blvd near the world-famous Guitar Center, comes this zesty sighting at ANC Wath & Jewelry Repair. Clearly standing for "Algeria Never Cowers," this place will fix all your busted timepieces, clocks, pendants, and whatever may be in that mysterious box on the doorstep...

The Dollar Store Knows the Value of a Good Font

2010-03-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

If you're forced to buy stuff from China, why not pay the least amount possible for the junk? So it was with great joy that my cheap door mat quest led me to yet another face-to-face meeting with our Algerian friend, this time at the 99 Cents Only store in Burbank, CA.

Whether this huge stack of random welcome mats was comprised of old floor samples, or these are actually being passed off as the way to put your best foot forward (nyuk, nyuk, nyuk) to house guests, what did impress me was to find out my new mat was bulletproof!

Which was especially reassuring because my mat will most certainly be coming within close proximity of some bombs...

The Spirit of the Battle Of Algiers

2010-02-01T17:10:00.000-08:00

Stock up at this local shop and say "bon voyage" to pesky French invaders. On a side note, the authors of this site were perusing the selection at this fine retailer when we found ourselves standing next to Ozzy Osbourne, who was browsing the shotguns.

The Font That Characterizes Beauty

2010-02-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

Indeed no one is more trustworthy with applying "permanet make up" than the typographer that set this elegant brochure. Luckily for their clients, they needn't be concerned with double checking their spelling like your run-of-the-mill tattoo artist.

Good Beer From A Confused Micro-Brew

2010-02-01T16:39:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the clever designer of this logo was exploring the possibility of an "Alaskan" font when this handsome discovery was made. The beer was quite good and I would recommend it. However my eagle-eye was so keen to the logo I almost mistook the graphic below it for a surfer which it obviously couldn't be because there's no surfing in Alaska. It's actually a nude gentleman keeping his balance on a single giant snow shoe during an avalanche.

What IS this blog about anyhoo?

2009-12-15T22:34:00.000-08:00

There must be many gods and they must have a great sense of humor in order for a)someone to have designed such a ridiculous typeface as the Algerian font, and b)for mankind to have embraced it so wholeheartedly for such varied and ubiquitous use in store signs, company logos, and grandma birthday flyers.

Our task here at the Algerian Font Sightings blog is to chronicle this absurd phenomenon that has spread from Antarctica to America to Australia and yes...even Algeria.

Sighted on Solvang Danish Village T-shirt

2009-12-15T21:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the inaugural post for the Algerian Font Sightings blog! And here we have the talented Edson Choi, guitarist from indie rockers Dusty Rhodes and the River Band. He was spotted wearing a t-shirt featuring our very most favorite font whilst the band was recording its latest album at Stone Heavy Sound in Burbank, CA. Good on ya, Eddie my boy!