At first glance it might be considered inappropriate. The large neon sign sits atop Andy's 2nd Hand & Appliance at 6513 Cleveland Blvd. in Caldwell.

"It's a daily thing," said store owner Andy Joseph, who is constantly answering questions about what the sign means. Joseph, 39, who owns Andy's 2nd Hand, offers an explanation: "It stands for 'Can't resist Andy's prices.'"

"The sign used to spell CARPET," said Joseph, who went on to explain how he found the used sign and had the sign company rearrange the letters. Losing the E and the T allowed Joseph to come up with a unique business slogan - and save some money in the process. "The sign company gave me a deal on the price."

One step inside the store and you understand that he doesn't sell crap. The store is full of used appliances, stoves, refrigerators and assorted "tools and knickknacks."

"We have really good prices on our appliances."

"We're the only ones who have a lifetime warranty on our appliances," said Joseph, who tests them up to three times before putting them up for sale.

Along with being a point of conversation, the sign has been great for business. "We're thinking of franchising to Fruitland and Mountain Home," he said.

Would he name the stores CRAP2 or CRAP3?

If he can find the right used neon sign.

Chris Butler: 377-6434