Neon Manufacturing, or Neon Mfg. for short, was founded in 2014 by two friends, Rob and Dan, who were interested in purchasing stylish neon signs but found them difficult to find.
At that time, there were no websites offering modern neon signs or neon art. The few that did sell neon signs focused on beer or sports team themes, and their websites were outdated, often filled with tiny, low-quality images and silly animated GIFs.
To buy a unique neon sign, you had to locate a local manufacturer—a challenging task given the scarcity of neon makers. Even if you found one, commissioning a custom sign was often prohibitively expensive, even for smaller designs.
Rob and Dan envisioned creating a website where customers could purchase stylish neon signs at affordable prices—a modern, visually appealing website featuring high-quality photos and videos of the products. They aimed to build a team of experts available for consultations to help customers create stunning neon art for their homes or businesses.
In the fall of 2014, Rob and Dan founded Neon Mfg., began developing prototype products, and started building their website. They officially launched neonmfg.com to the public in January 2015, offering high-quality neon signs to customers in the USA and Canada.
Having invested all their startup capital into product development, Rob and Dan had limited funds for marketing. Consequently, Dan dedicated hours to sending hundreds of emails to major websites, blogs, and influencers in the fields of home decor, fashion, design, and innovative products. The response was overwhelmingly positive; nearly everyone he contacted replied and expressed interest in sharing information about Neon Mfg. They had never seen a website like neonmfg.com that sold stylish neon signs. We were very fortunate to have been the first business in this field. This attention marked a turning point for our fledgling company.
Our "Hustle" neon sign became particularly popular among the websites, blogs, and influencers who featured us. They often used the iconic photo of our "Hustle" sign being held up against a black background in their articles. This image went viral and quickly spread across the internet.
The widespread coverage generated a surge in website traffic, and our Instagram account began growing rapidly, gaining tens of thousands of followers each month. Companies, brands, celebrities, and influencers from around the world reached out for collaborations and special projects. Our pre-made products started being sold in stores like Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom. The company was thriving, making it an exciting time for Rob and Dan.
However, our success and exposure also attracted numerous imitators. We began seeing exact copies of our pre-made products being sold on platforms like Amazon and eBay, often using our stolen photos. Initially, Rob and Dan were frustrated, but they eventually saw it as a form of flattery, realizing they had created products worth copying. They decided the best way to combat this was to continue innovating with new, exciting products and to focus more on custom-made designs.
Now, ten years later, hundreds of companies sell neon signs online, and Neon Mfg. is proud to have been a pioneer in this industry. We have created thousands of exceptional glass and LED neon signs for customers worldwide and look forward to producing many more in the future. We are incredibly proud of the company we have built and are grateful for the partnerships and friendships we have formed with amazing people and businesses.
We look forward to working with you on your custom neon project!
Thanks for reading,
—Neon Mfg.
Our iconic Hustle sign. One of the first images ever taken while developing our initial product line in the Fall of 2014.