There are many restaurants to choose from along North Williamson Avenue. The Root, Tangent, The Oak House and Pandora’s Pies all offer a variety of different choices. But one special chalkboard brings customers through Pandora's Pies' doors.
The double-sided chalkboard sits right outside of Pandora’s and every couple of days features a new witty slogan about pizza, beer or their specials.
Brittney Tillman is the brains behind the sign. Tillman has been working at Pandora’s for the past six years and decided to take on the task of designing the chalkboard herself.
“The funny thing is that people here are not creative at all. They don’t know how to write good, they don’t know how to draw and so me — the creative one — I take over the board,” Tillman said.
Tillman uses a variety of chalk colors, her own creativity and a little help from the Internet to change the board every few days.
“I’m good with handwriting, but when it comes to drawing I have to look at google and pinterest,” Tillman said.
But all her hard work doesn’t come without a reward.
“People take pictures of the sign all the time which makes me feel really good,” Tillman said. “People stand by it, pose by it, take pictures of it, laugh at it — it is so funny to see.”
And while people go to get a pizza, the sign outside offers them a slice of Tillman’s creativity.
“I appreciate an establishment that has a bit of a sense of humor,” freshman Annie Earnshaw said.
But laughs and happy customers aren’t the only benefits Tillman gets from designing the chalkboard.
“I just like drawing and coloring. I’ve always liked to do that so it’s kind of like my therapy ... Clears my mind,” Tillman said.
Though Tillman enjoys creating the signs, there is one downside.
“I really hate chalk,” Tillman said.
And while it’s Tillman’s sign outside that gets people to stop in, it’s the pizza that makes them stay.