Q&A with Mountain Dog Sign’s Marshon Kempf

Marshon Kempf, Mountain Dog Sign Co. | Credit: Spokane Journal

Custom sign maker Mountain Dog Sign Co. isn’t making many signs in the midst of a viral pandemic. The company has been manufacturing face shields and counter barriers—transparent partitions that separate customers from cashiers—to sell or donate to businesses such as health care clinics, construction companies, car dealerships, and casinos.

Founded in 2011 by owners Steve and Marshon Kempf, the Spokane Valley business typically produces interior and exterior signs, vehicle graphics, and ADA compliant signage.

The Journal spoke with Marshon, the company’s majority owner and president, via telephone about pivoting from signage to personal protective equipment, the challenges of sourcing materials suitable for shields and barriers, and the future of demand for locally made personal protective equipment.