With new wayfinding signs installed around downtown St. Joseph, visitors may have noticed the parking lots now have names.

City Communications Director Kayla Griffith tells us as city leaders worked with Corbin Design Services to develop the signs pointing the way to key attractions, they thought something should be done to help people better remember where they parked. So, they went with fruits. That means you can now park in the Pear Lot, the Raspberry Lot, the Apricot Lot, the Blueberry Lot, and so on.

“We had a few different ideas that were floated about different parking lot names,” Griffith said. “At one point, someone at the city came up with some historic names. We decided on fruit because it’s the easiest to remember and it draws into the heritage of our city at its heart.”

Griffith says the fruits aren’t the only Easter eggs people might notice on the wayfinding signs.

“People might notice that the signage shapes are shaped like admission tickets. That was inspired by the Silver Beach Carousel. Some of the medallions, if you look closely at them, the red circles, they have the lighthouse, carousel horses, etc. on them.”

Fruits grown around Southwest Michigan were chosen for the lot names. For example, the Grape Lot can be found at Main and Ship Street.

Moving forward, Griffith says there are plans for a Phase 2 of the wayfinding signs, including maps and kiosks. However, there’s no schedule for that part of the project to begin.