Signs of success: Downers Grove party rental business making events ‘bigger and better’

After three years of working out of her garage, Kirsten Swanson finally has a place to call her own.

Swanson, 41, owns Signs & Love Event Rentals, a party rental company that recently set up shop in downtown Downers Grove at 4927 Main St.

The Downers Grove resident started her business in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

Her son Drew was having his ninth birthday in April of that year, shortly after the state shut down.

“We had to cancel his birthday party. ... A girlfriend worked for a towing company and said we could have a tow truck parade in front of the house,” Swanson said.

Planning that unique party – along with memories of her late fun-loving mother Leslie, who died shortly before Swanson’s 16th birthday – led Swanson to “carry on the tradition of making parties bigger and better.”

“I got the crazy idea to get a yard sign [for Drew’s birthday],” she said.

When quoted very high prices to rent one, she instead bought a yard sign and then began renting it out “to all my friends.”

That humble start has mushroomed into Signs & Love.

“I didn’t want to stop there. I wanted to do balloons and backdrops, party decor, tables. And linens. Why not help everyone celebrate like I do?” she said. “We’re doing it all now.”

She noticed at the start, especially during the pandemic, that other companies were renting out yard signs for up to $150.

She thought “why not rent them out for $50 so that everyone’s child could wake up and have that same moment?”

She now rents large signs for $115 and smaller signs for $75.

Swanson always asks customers “what’s your vision for the party” and builds from there.

“We don’t look to price gouge. We look to get our stuff out there and want everybody to celebrate it and share it with their friends,” Swanson said.

She was so happy when she found a space in downtown Downers Grove that offered a showroom and plenty of storage, she “cried three times.”

“It’s an amazing location. ... We aren’t a 9-to-5 store. So if you want to drive up and have something delivered – balloons, lines, whatever – to your car, we can run it right out. I have storage and a full basement,” she said.

Swanson and her husband, Tom, have three children: Brian, 13, Drew, 12, and Kacie, 6. The children help place signs in yards, she said.

Kristen Wiley of Woodridge, one of Swanson’s happy clients, stopped in Oct. 19 to plan for a party.

Asked what made Swanson’s business stand out compared with others, Wiley said, “Hands down, her customer service, the prompt return of the phone call, return of the email.”

“She makes what you’re thinking come to life,” Wiley said.

Swanson works five to seven parties each weekend and “probably about a dozen signs during the week.”

Popular themes are “Cheers to 50 years,” “Fifty is fabulous” and “Honk for a birthday.”

Asked where she gets some of her ideas, Swanson said, “I have a silent partner who is an amazing designer.”

Because she “feels blessed,” she wants to help other small businesses, perhaps offering her showroom to photographers to rent out for studio work during the winter.

Swanson enjoys the element of surprise, planting signs in yards in the night that will be seen when the honoree awakens the next morning.

But there have been moments.

“I’ve been caught,” she said. “But you wouldn’t believe how many people like to come out and help you.

“We’ve had kids who are 8, 9, 10, 11, who say, ‘Can we put the basketball by my name because that’s my favorite sport,’ ‘’ she said. “They’re not shy to tell me what they like.”

Besides signs, she offers sugar carts, arched favor walls, photo booths, event linens, champagne walls, traveling bar carts, customized backdrops and plenty of balloons.

“I’ve never been approached to do a divorce sign,” Swanson said.

But there was that memorable “Holy Sh-t, You’re 40″ sign with a star tastefully replacing the letter “i”.

Swanson had been working as the general manager of a restaurant when she started Signs & Love.

“It’s different. Still a lot of hours away from the family,” she said. “That’s why I left the restaurant business. I wanted to be there when my kids are in school.

“But I can’t give up the dream of helping as many people as I can. I remember being Sweet 16. I remember how special I felt that day.”

To schedule an appointment, call 516-510-3920 or visit www.signsandlove.com.