Trolley Is Are

There are too many problems to count on this sign, sent in by Paul.


Even the apostrophe in the store's name seems misplaced. And why do they feel compelled to spell "pack" without a "k"? It almost makes me think they are trying to write "park" with a Boston (or British, or New York) accent. And "thankyou" as one word?

When they write "please help us," they must mean with their spelling and grammar.

Thanks, Paul!

You Are Service, You Are Meals

Jeff reports that he spotted this "magnet sign on the side of a shady looking van in Bethesda, MD."


We're not sure what the doorknob on the sign is supposed to signify. Jeff says he was kind of nervous when he was taking the photo.

Jeff, thank you for risking your life for the sake of capturing apostrophe catastrophes!

Boys and Men For Sale

This barber shop in Watertown, Mass., is either selling boys and old men or stating that one particular boy "is under 12." And is a "senior cut" the opposite of Justin Bieber's haircut somehow?


The inconsistency and the variety of errors in this sign makes it particularly offensive.

I Have a Serious Beef with this Sign

Hannah and her husband spotted this apostrophe catastrophe at the Champlain Valley Fair in Essex, Vermont:



According to some dictionaries, the plural of beef is beeves, so beefs would be questionable even without the apostrophe!

Thanks, Hannah!

Kentucky American Is...

Mark, who sent in this apostrophe catastrophe, thinks maybe there is only one Kentuckian with a disability.


Well, if the inability to use proper punctuation counts as a disability, that one Kentuckian designed this logo. And doesn't the whole concept of Kentucky American's [sic] seem redundant?

Thanks, Mark! Check out Mark's blog here.

Bodacious Burritos

There are a lot of problems with this sign that Darren found at the Oklahoma State Fair. Apparently, Tad's Indian taco is so "world famous" that he only sells one of them. Ever. And do I really to point out the giant apostrophe catastrophe?



Maybe it's because of the fact that bodega is now a euphemism in my world, but the word "bodacious" just sounds dirty to me.

Thanks, Darren!

MLK Banner's

An Apostrophe Catastrophes reader named Mike sent me an e-mail with five catastrophic photos (or photo's, as the case may be). One of the more bizarre ones is from a sign shop in Pensacola, Florida.


Are MLK banners even a thing? How about some George Washington banner's [sic] for later this month?

And speaking of birthdays, today is mine. So, send me presents of apostrophe catastrophes.

What Do They Mean by Treats Anyway?

This photo, sent in by Brian, the self-proclaimed Apostrophe King, makes me think about sophomore year when my college's dining halls declared that they now featured "Real Food on Campus." So, what were we eating freshman year that us to gain 15 pounds?


If they're not food, what are these treat's the sign refers to?

Thanks, Brian?

How About "The Cat's Pajamas"?

I'm a bit confused by today's apostrophe catastrophe, which Melinda found on etsy.


It says that it has something to do with Jack Black in School of Rock, but I don't remember him uttering this phrase. Do any of you?

Plus, thinking about Jack Black wearing a onesie is far too disturbing for words.

Thanks, Melinda!

It Is for Waitresses'

Emily from St. Louis found this apostrophe catastrophe in a bar the other night and says she was "appalled."


The sign is pretty hideous; I think the font is just as appalling as the apostrophe catastrophe. Some might argue that the apostrophe implies that the area beyond the sign belongs to waitresses only, but I don't think that's what the sign makers had in mind, so I declare it a catastrophe. Not that I'm a psychic or anything. What do you think, readers?

Thanks, Emily!

Punctuation Wipeout!

Clearly, whoever put up this sign at Big Bear Mountain is not an expert at punctuation.


Also, what does the bottom part of the sign mean? Is the ski lift operator selling cocaine?

Thanks, Brian!

Movin' into an Aptm'

Today and tomorrow are among the busiest days of the year in Boston as students and young professionals move in and out of their Sept. 1 apartments. I know at least 20 people who are moving or who have recently moved, including my friend Paul, who moved into a building featuring a bizarre abbreviation/apostrophe catastrophe.


Apostrophes can indicate missing letters, so ap'tm's might be OK, but Aptm's strikes me as very odd. I don't know if I could live there!

Thanks to Rich for taking the photo. Good luck with moving!

Kid's for Sale

This store in Cordova, Tenn., appears to be selling futons, kid's [sic], and beds.


I wonder if anyone ever goes into the store and asks to buy a kid.

Thanks to Lisa for sending this one in!

Steak's, Cocktail's, and Baby

Mmm... nothing like a delicious meal of steak, cocktails, and baby, with two sides of apostrophe catastrophe.


Thanks to Brian, a frequent contributor to Apostrophe Catastrophes, for sending in this photo that his sister took in Cesky Krumlov, in the Czech Republic.

Add an Extra 'S' for Savings?

Remember those Mattress Discounters commercials that said to "leave off the last 's' for savings"? Apparently, this mattress place in Aberdeen, Scotland, takes the opposite approach with its branding.


Thanks to Lorraine for sending this one in!

Public Service Announcement: Did you know that you can haggle when buying a mattress? It's just like buying a car. The sticker price of the mattress that I recently bought from Sleepy's was $1299, and I ended up paying $483 for it (plus delivery charge). Readers, it would be a catastrophe to pay too much for your next furniture purchase.

The Opposite of Excellent

Andrew sent an apostrophe catastrophe from Swansea, Wales, with the following introduction, "Excel Parking Services Limited appear to excel in bad punctuation." Look for the word motorist's near the bottom of the sign.


They also appear to excel in verbosity! Could there by any more parking regulations on one sign?

Thanks, Andrew!

Crayola Crayon Catastrophe

Lisa spotted this apostrophe catastrophe in the elevator of the Crayola factory in Easton, Pennsylvania:


Luckily, seeing the word your's at the factory didn't ruin the tour for Lisa and her daughter. Lisa said the factory was tons of fun! Fun with a backwards n, apparently.

Thanks, Lisa!

We Don't Need No Education

Spotted at a fancy Connecticut prep school:


My cousin Joe found this apostrophe catastrophe in the cafeteria of the Pomfret School.

Also, is that supposed to be grilled chicken and pasta primavera? I think we might have some line-spacing problems here, too.

Thanks, Joe!

Stating the Obvious

When I saw this sign in the bathroom of the Baseball Tavern in Boston, I was less concerned about the apostrophe catastrophe in employees than I was about why the management felt the need to post this handmade sign in the first place.


Presumably there was an incident involving employees not washing their hands, which is disturbing. But not nearly as disturbing as this sign that is posted in one of my office's kitchens:


I think the grammar is fine (unless there are errors in the Spanish or Chinese versions), but it made me laugh for about five minutes when my coworker showed it to me, so I decided that I had to share it with my readers. Seriously, who would blow their nose in the sink? In an office! I hope you guys enjoy this tri-lingual classic as much as I did.

Ladie's, All the Ladie's

Thanks to the magic of DVR, my friend Dave was able to capture an apostrophe catastrophe on his TV.


Also, the tagline "The Musical about Love" doesn't sound like a very accurate description of The Color Purple. I read the book, and it was mostly about incest and abuse, if I recall correctly. Not a lot of singing and dancing going on there.

Thanks, Dave!