Tag Archives: neon
Cars
The first businesses found associated with this address were Foothill Auto and Truck Rental in 1947 and Reed’s Used Cars and Trucks in 1948 based on business license applications by Harry Bachstein. Earlier Sanborn insurance maps show an empty lot, so those were probably the first. While the main neon is gone, the tubes for …
Island Market
A nice sign on an unassuming market building. It also has a feature seen on some smaller buildings—a tower to support the sign above the roofline. The Island Market name dates back to at least 1950, and there has been a grocery at this location since at least 1938 when it was one of 3 …
Colonial Chapel
Across the street is Colonial Chapel. It’s been in this location since 1956, and the faux-rustic neon sign has probably been here most of that time. It also has the surprisingly-common-on-funeral-home-signs feature of a clock.
1/4 lb. Giant Burgers
Another 1/4 lb. Giant Burgers sign, and this one is almost all neon. It has many of the same elements, including the arrow, 1/4 lb. in an oval, and of course, home made pies.
Laurel Lounge
Across the street is the Laurel Lounge. The sign is a mix of neon and plastic, but it has a great stylized cocktail glass shape. The Laurel dates back to c.1969, and the Lucky 13 Club before it went back to at least 1938. There’s a small bonus sign a couple doors over at the …
Ghost Town Taproom
Across the street is what was Glenn’s Hot Dogs for many years. It went through a phase as a BBQ spot, but these days it’s home to a Ghost Town Brewing taproom, with a variety of beers on tap and tasty food to go with it. Various changes were made on the sign: Glenn’s became …
Hi Hat Cleaners
The building at MacArthur and Maple was a Hagstrom’s Food Store in the 1940s and early 1950s. It appears as Sigman’s Upholstery in a 1957 Tribune ad, and as Flash Cleaners in the 1967 and 1969 directories. It’s unknown when the Hi Hat name came along, but it appears in a 1997 Tribune ad. Some …
Oaks Motel (replaced)
Across the street is the Oaks Motel. While the tour is mostly signs that are still around, this one was too good to not mention. The old sign was a classic, with a vertical blade, multiple colors, and a tasteful and eye-catching mixture of sans serif and script fonts. It even had an arrow with …
Donut Time
Donut Corner was a long-time business, but most of it on another corner nearby. From 1952 to at least 1981, Donut Corner was run by Harold and Grace McGrath at MacArthur and 35th. After nearly 30 years of long hours, McGrath retired and sold the shop.