New York's glitzy Times Square will glow a bit brighter today – thanks to a Rancho Cordova company that says it's built the Big Apple's largest LED sign.

Going live this afternoon is a technically and visually innovative "supersign" that will wrap three sides of the 1 Times Square building – site of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop.

"It's absolutely spectacular," says George Pappas, a managing partner for D3 LED, a 3-year-old local firm that spent six months building and assembling digital components. The company, which also retrofitted the ribbon-like marquee out- side ABC's "Good Morning America" studio, picked up $12 million for its current NYC project.

From street level, the massive sign stretches 341 feet up three sides of the 25-story landmark building owned by the Walgreen Co. With 17,000 square feet of digital components, plus an additional 27,000 square feet of vinyl surfacing, it's now New York's largest LED sign, say billboard industry experts.

But what makes it unique, Pappas says, is the technological complexity that allows advertising messages to be simultaneously displayed on several 25-foot-plus LED screens and on smaller, window-sized screens encircling the building. Also part of the package: the two diagonal "wing" signs that run from sidewalk to building top.

The ability to synchronize ad messages comes from harnessing about 12 million light-emitting diodes.

"We're running more LEDs off a single control system than have ever been run before," says Pappas, who oversees the 30-employee Rancho Cordova manufacturing operation, while his two partners run the company's sales and marketing division in New York City.

He says reporters from various "geek magazines" have been "astounded" by the display. Pappas – and Walgreens officials – are hoping for the same reaction from the throngs that pass the building daily.

Taco the town

Lean times have hit Jimboy's Tacos, the Roseville-based restaurant franchiser.

Over the past year, about 10 of the chain's 50-some eateries have closed, the result of poor locations, managerial troubles and – most certainly – the economy, say company officials.

"No question about it. Profits are down, sales are down," says Tom Boalt, general manager of the company that started in 1954 as a Lake Tahoe taco stand.

Boalt says some relatively new franchisees fell into some of the same problems that strapped homebuyers have encountered during the mortgage crisis.

"They leased more space than they could afford," he says, and then couldn't meet their expenses when the economy slowed.

Boalt now believes the worst is over. A couple of the recently closed Jimboy's locations – including those in Placerville, Cameron Park and Reno – could soon reopen under new owners.

"I think it's bottomed out," he says, adding that the remaining 40 or so franchises are doing OK.

As Boalt puts it: "Everybody's maintaining."

Secret sauce

Sacramento's Mai Pham is a successful restaurant owner, a noted chef and a prolific food writer.

But her siblings always told her that success isn't "real" until your products are in the grocery store, she reports.

Pham is now makin' it real.

The owner of Lemon Grass Restaurant recently struck a deal to sell a new line of bottled sauces and marinades at Corti Brothers in Sacramento and at the upscale Central Market in Dallas.

The hope is to expand the "Mai Pham's Lemon Grass Kitchen" brand to other groceries here and across the country.

"I have some good leads," says Pham, whose previous retail venture several years ago was a trio of sauces sold exclusively at Williams-Sonoma stores.

This time, the first product in her lineup is a Thai yellow curry base, which can be used as a marinade or mixed with coconut milk for a sauce.

It's offered at what Pham calls a "promotional price" of $5.99. "We'll get everybody hooked on it," she jokes, "then raise the price."

Reach Bob Shallit at (916) 321-1049. Back columns: www.sacbee.com/shallit.