A new book explores the stories behind the brands featured on South Africa’s iconic vintage roadside enamel signs. These signs, often encountered during travel in rural South Africa, spark curiosity about their origins and eventual fates. The excerpt delves into the history of these businesses, many of which have disappeared from the landscape. The book investigates not just what the brands sold, but the people and circumstances surrounding their rise and fall. It provides a nostalgic glimpse into South Africa’s commercial past, preserved through these enduring pieces of roadside advertising. The project aims to document a fading part of South African heritage and the commercial landscape it represents.