View allAll Photos Tagged SignGeeks,
Pasadena, CA
The Glass House, on E. Walnut Street, has been serving Pasadena and the surrounding communities since 1945. That's a lot of glass!
North Wildwood, NJ
Look at the happy couple, lounging around in their giant neon suitcase, giving us a wave! I wonder what the sign looked like before they updated the main portion of it ... was it as charming as the top?
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
Hollywood, CA
When I took this photograph, I didn't know anything about Nadine's Music -- I just liked the sign, particularly how there are plugs incorporated into the design, in the neon at the beginning and end of "Nadine's". I grew up surrounded by guitars and amplifiers, so I sure appreciated the thought and artistry that went into that design choice.
I have subsequently learned that Nadine's Music opened in 1975 and was known as a store "for musicians by musicians". The store specialized in vintage guitars and customers included Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and one of my favourites, Joe Walsh. Sadly, the store is permanently closed now.
Niagara Falls, NY
This gem is right on Niagara Falls Blvd in Niagara Falls, NY. It looked charming, well-maintained, and on the summer evening I was out looking for neon at night, their parking lot was almost full. A real nostalgic road trip blast-from-the-past.
Covina, CA
I went online to double-check the spelling of "Clippinger" and decided to do a google streetview ..... and discovered that this wonderful neon sign, that was in the corner of their lot, is gone. Another one bites the dust.
Shoot 'em while you can, folks.
a mind-blowing throwback to the afternoon TV cartoons of my youth. bedrock city is a 40-year-old flintstones-themed amusement park - all the familiar characters, homes and locations are represented. many more photos to be posted in the coming weeks.
recently processed film. mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
Windsor Hills, Los Angeles
California
We were on W. Slauson Avenue, not too far from LAX, when I spotted this cool old motel sign -- the neon crown confuses me a little though, since "Jet Inn" is certainly not a regal name. It must be a relic from the past life of this motel.
Here are two photos of the Hiltop Mobile Park in Lakeland, FL -- one photo is a view of one side of the old grungy sign, not a close-up but rather a view of the setting to give you an idea of what the area looks like, while the second photo (this one) is a close-up of the sign, the other side that has the neon. In the other photo, you see the side of the sign that has had all the neon removed.
mamiya 6MF 75mm f/3.5. kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
On US 9
Saratoga Springs, NY
Does anyone know if this sign is still standing? The most current google streetview I could see was from October 2019 and the place was all fenced off, with real estate signs posted on the fencing. It was all in sad shape, but the sign was still there, as of then.
Another great discovery we made as we headed north on US 41 out of Cordele, GA: the abandoned Cordele Drive-In Theatre. Totally overgrown. As we were driving north I glanced down a cross street and spotted it. Love it when that happens!
Whittier, CA
We were driving around the Los Angeles area, sign hunting, and came across this rusty old sign. Just the type of sign I love to discover! Given its condition, I'm not surprised to learn this decades-old sign is no longer there, and am very pleased to learn it was saved and is now in the capable hands of the Valley Relics Museum in Van Nuys, California.
Boston, MA
They have a terrific sign; I bet it looked amazing, especially at night, when the bulbs were all still there. Unfortunately, I checked on Yelp and Trip Advisor and read some not-so-terrific reviews.
Quincy, MA
I was delighted when I was able to cross this Massachusetts sign, in the Boston suburb of Quincy, off my must-shoot bucket list. It features the same "eskimo girl" as one of my favourite-ever signs and one I hold near and dear: the Dairy Queen sign in Grafton, WV (have a look in my "we all scream" or "west virginia" album, among others, to have a look). All that's different is the colours of the ice cream cone.
According to the ever-helpful Roadside Architecture web site, Dairy Freeze was established in the '50s and moved to this location in Quincy in 1963 and brought this sign with them when they moved.
I am so happy this decades-old sign still exists and has been maintained so well!
Iroquois, ON
The neon's been stripped away and it looks like the paint job was fairly fresh. They may have a fancy WiFi symbol now but it's still an old-time motel along Hwy 2 in eastern Ontario.
Toronto, ON
First of all, PLEASE forgive me for the low quality of this shot. It was taken almost 10 years ago with my first iPhone, a 3GS. I was so happy to finally have an iPhone back then. Seems like ancient technology now, right? lol
I recently found this photo, on my computer buried in a folder within a folder within another folder. And I was SO stoked to find it! We used to live just a couple of blocks from here and would walk over to pick up our take-out chinese food. This was one of those old signs that we just took for granted, likely because it was local and so familiar. I don't know how long International Chop Suey was on Kingston Road, but I know it was a long time. I'm sure I remember this place from back in my high school days.
Well, the sign and the restaurant are long-gone now. This is a piece of Beaches history and, quality of the photo aside, I'm really pleased I took the shot -- and found it! -- and that I'm able to share it. I did a little photoshop editing to try to improve it, and I'm not sure I was all that successful, but it's still a treasure to me. Toronto has lost a lot of its old neon signage and so documentation of what we had is, I think, important.
Thetford Mines, Quebec
It's not at all old or vintage, but this bucket is a sight you'll only see in the province of Quebec.
On Route 66
Pasadena, CA
A night shot of the wonderful fish-shaped neon sign at Cameron's Seafood on Colorado Blvd (route 66) in Pasadena.
As I mentioned on the daytime shot (have a look in my California album if you want to have a look), twice in the past few years we made plans to have dinner here and, twice, our plans had to change. And since I read earlier this year (January 2021) that they've permanently closed their doors, now we never will.
I'm thankful I have photographs, but I wish I'd had dinner too.
Here is the article on the closure:
Jacksonville, FL
This was a tricky sign to shoot. This photograph is an interstate drive-by, shot as we drove along I-10. It was the only way. We parked at the base of this sign and I took numerous shots, from every vantage point available, but this old sign is SO TALL that the angle just wasn't working for me given the bright sunshine I had to deal with. Nothing I shot looked good. So back up along the highway and -- ta-da! -- I got the shot I wanted. Thank goodness it's right beside the highway!
From the excellent Roadside Architecture site, here is the scoop on this oh-so-cool sign:
"Peninsular Pest Control Service was founded in 1954. While the bottom panel of this sign exclaims "Home Office", there never were any other locations. This sign was built in 1966 and is visible from I-10. The height of the sign including the poles is 161 feet. The text panels are about 20 feet wide. The word "Peninsular" is composed of incandescent bulbs and is outlined with neon. The other letters on the panels are lit with neon. On top of the text panels, there is an animated depiction of a man firing spray at a bug. The company calls him the "Penny Man." His arm operates the spray gun in three-part animation. The spray itself is also animated. The bug is composed of neon tubing installed on a metal grid. When the revolving man faces the bug, the bug's neon turns off indicating that it has been killed. The company had to fight keep the sign when the local sign ordinance changed. The sign is serviced every month or so to keep it in full working order."
Route 66
South Pasadena, CA
This was shot before the sign was restored.
From the Cinema Treasures web site:
"Located five blocks south of the 110 freeway, on Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena. The Rialto Theatre opened for vaudeville and movies on October 17, 1925, with Ray Metcalfe playing the 2 manual, 10 rank Wurlitzer pipe organ and with the Rialto Orchestra accompanying the world premiere of Universal’s “What Happened to Jones” starring Reginald Denny. A Franchon and Marco stage show included trapeze artists and vaudeville acts. Admission was 30 cents. The Rialto Theatre was one of the last theatres to be designed by noted theatre architect Lewis Arthur Smith. It is decorated in a mix of several styles, mainly Moorish, but there are elements of Egyptian, Spanish Baroque and Classical features too, all contributing to the Jazz Age charm of this theatre."
"The Rialto Theatre was designated a local listing of Historic Cultural Monument in 1977. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978."
From the Roadside Architecture site:
"In 1977, the theatre was nearly demolished for a parking lot. The Rialto closed in 2007. The sign and facade were restored in 2020."
on the carnival midway at the 71st annual carrot festival in california's imperial valley. mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 400. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
US 22
Huntingdon, PA
Sadly, another wonderful old location that has now permanently closed. Top's Diner opened in 1949 but after a fire in 1959, moved to this location. In 2020, the current owner shut it down. Unfortunately, it appears this was a pandemic-related closure.
You can read more here:
www.huntingdondailynews.com/tops-diner-owner-announces-cl...
Oceanside, CA
I particularly liked the neon starburst on this sign, and the circles behind each neon letter. Fun design.
Wildwood, NJ
Yet another restaurant that's on my "to visit" list. I really want to return to Wildwood and dining here (as long as we visit in-season when it's open!) will be on the agenda. Restaurants that have been open for decades are always a high priority for me.
According to their web site, the restaurant was started by the Urie brothers (George, Charles, and Larry), from Philadelphia, as "a seasonal, paper-plate seafood restaurant" way back in 1956, and was known as Urie's Fish Fry. In 1963, George and his wife (and seven of their eight children!) began running the restaurant themselves, and eventually sold the restaurant to a group of local businessmen.
Four shot vertical panorama. It's what you do when the light is great and you have a 135 f/2 on your camera.
Given the good condition of the bottom three-quarters of this ghost sign, I'm betting it was uncovered during the demolition of whatever building used to be in the empty lot.
Syracuse, NY
Grafton, WV
Sometimes it seems coke signs are everywhere; I'm sure I've missed many of them just because they're so familiar, they don't get noticed.
Arthur, ON
You can still get a Sprite at the Village Variety store in Arthur, Ontario, but this plastic-fantastic sign no longer will entice you to come in and buy one. The store's still there but this cheery, bubbly sign is gone.
derelict water tanker in the fading town of ludlow along old route 66 in the middle of california's mojave desert. polaroid spectra pro instant camera + impossible project blackframe B&W film.