Legendary Essex restaurant Pizza John’s is getting a new sign, for the first time in roughly 40 years, and it’s drawing a lot of attention on social media.

The longtime square sign is now a bit more modern-looking, with a billboard-type screen for photos underneath

“I was looking for a Vegasy(-)style look by the road,” said Brett Steall, Pizza John’s president, in an email to The Baltimore Sun, explaining that the company that made the digital part “did most of the signs in Las Vegas.”

“The goal is to attract people driving by who may have never been to our restaurant,” he said. “The digital part of the sign is the newest and best technology money can buy.”

Pizza John’s received national attention earlier this year after Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy reviewed the pizzeria during his Baltimore pizza tour.

Although the restaurant has updated its logo a few times, this is the first time the sign has changed since the early 1980s, Steall said.

“We are considered a landmark destination in the county, and I felt that it was time to modernize and bring the Back River Neck corridor up to date,” he said. “The reaction has all been incredible. It has only been online for 2 days, but the comments have poured in.”

Some of the comments have expressed concern about the fate of the landmark “Pizza Man” statue.

Pizza John’s reassured everyone on social media that “Pizza Man is not going anywhere!!”

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