Desperate Enterprises

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Nostalgic tin and metal signs from Desperate Enterprises reproduce classic American advertising — automotive, beverage, and pop-culture brands among them — in the same officially licensed detail collectors look for in a scale model, just built for the wall instead of the shelf. Made entirely in the USA, the lineup spans hundreds of individual designs across signs, thermometers, and magnets.

About Desperate Enterprises

Desperate Enterprises was founded in 1987 by Ohio entrepreneur Robert "Bob" Secrist, an avid collector of antique advertising and signage who set out to reproduce pieces of that history as affordable metal signs. The company started with just six images sold at flea markets and antique shows; it has since grown into a global business producing more than 800 unique designs, still made in the USA from its home base in Ohio.

What Makes Desperate Enterprises Collectible

Every Desperate Enterprises sign is officially licensed — the company holds agreements with brands including Ford, General Motors, Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, DC Comics, and Warner Bros., among many others — and manufactured in the USA rather than imported, a point the brand builds its identity around. The catalog runs well past 800 individual designs, giving collectors a way to build a themed wall display around a specific automaker, beverage brand, or pop-culture franchise.

Popular Desperate Enterprises Categories

Desperate Enterprises organizes its catalog by format and licensed theme:

Automotive signs: Licensed Ford, General Motors, Dodge/Mopar, and other automaker designs.
Beverage & brand signs: Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, and similar licensed classics.
Pop-culture signs: Licensed Warner Bros., DC Comics, and Star Wars designs.
Thermometers & magnets: Matching pieces in the same licensed designs as the signs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Desperate Enterprises signs made in the USA?
Yes — the company builds its identity around domestic manufacturing, unlike many imported metal sign brands.

Are the designs officially licensed?
Yes — Desperate Enterprises holds licensing agreements with automakers, beverage brands, and entertainment franchises including Ford, Coca-Cola, DC Comics, and Warner Bros.

What sizes do Desperate Enterprises signs come in?
Signs are typically produced in a 12.5 x 16 inch rectangular format or an 11.75 inch round format, alongside other formats like thermometers and magnets.

Does Desperate Enterprises make anything besides metal signs?
Yes — wood signs, magnets, and LED signs in many of the same licensed designs.

How many different designs does Desperate Enterprises make?
More than 800 unique designs across its full catalog.

Shop Fairfield Collectibles' Desperate Enterprises lineup for officially licensed, American-made nostalgia for the wall. From classic automotive brands to beverage and pop-culture icons, there's a design for nearly every collecting interest.