May Hosiery Mills
Collaborating With the Past
Owned and developed by Nashville-based AJ Capital Partners, May Hosiery is the adaptive reuse of the oldest sock mill in the South, dating back to 1908.
After years of underutilization, AJ has transformed the property into a thriving mixed-use neighborhood hub.
The project needed a visual identity that would honor its history and work well in contemporary contexts. The first task was to create the signage and identity for AJ’s community-driven retail concept, May Hosiery Mills Co-Op, a retail space featuring leading local designers, merchants, and products unique to Nashville.
The Library of Congress photo archive provided the perfect solution. We designed a faithful re-creation of the original painted brick sign from the turn of the century, with modern updates for flexible use and varied applications. The small detail of the arch over the doorway became a motif echoed throughout the campus.
Design: Studio Delger
Owner: AJ Capital Partners
Co-Op Sign Fabricator: Fortify Nashville
Wayfinding Sign Fabricator: Jarvis Signs
Sign Painter: Diane Killeen
Location: 512 Houston St. Nashville, TN 37203
After the initial task of branding the Co-Op, we created a simple wayfinding system for the broader May Hosiery Mills campus. Since some units are difficult to find, tucked around corners or up tricky staircases, large painted banners were implemented to call out each unit number and clarify navigation. The previous system of misplaced and mismatched signs was replaced with something more clear and appropriate to the space.
