You may not see it at first, but once you do, it’s hard not to notice the number of signs left empty and decaying on roads and in parking lots. They are relics of ever-changing human civilization and highlight the number of dying businesses all around us. These signs beg us to dive deeper into the complex systems that affect small business; including globalization, capitalism, human migration patterns, outsourcing, and the shrinking middle-class. Each of these signs holds a story, offer a footprint from the past, and a mirror to who we are today.