View allAll Photos Tagged SignGeeks,
abandoned truck stop & diner along interstate 15 in california's mojave desert. mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
vintage polaroid SX-70 camera electronically modified to shoot 600 series film, impossible project B&W generation 2.0 beta test film. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
Otsego Motel and Diner
US/Route 20
East Springfield (in Otsego County), NY
On a fall afternoon we travelled along US 20, headed for Syracuse if I remember right, when we came across a motel that looked very well kept. There was also a separate building that housed a diner. And this wonderful old, rusty, grungy sign.
Nothing looked open at that time, but it was all so well maintained. Looking online, it appears that the motel is still open. Not sure about the diner.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4. film: kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
Monterey Park, CA
"Before the 60 freeway existed, before the city annexed East Los Angeles College in the 1970s, and well before Money magazine would name it the third best place to live in the USA in 2017, Joseph Lombardo, an immigrant from Calabria, southern Italy, opened the Venice Room in Monterey Park, California. It was 1955. The Venice Room became known for strong cocktails, delicious steaks, and good company."
On our last visit to Los Angeles, our hotel was walking distance from the Venice Room. We intended to dine here based solely on the great sign, but we just ran out of time. I really wish we'd had a few more days!
Here's the link to read the whole article that I quoted from, above:
www.lataco.com/is-this-the-end-of-the-venice-room-as-loca...
West Hollywood, CA
We had a wonderful brunch at this historic googie diner. From the Los Angeles Conservancy web site: "Designed by Louis Armet and Eldon Davis, Norms La Cienega is the oldest location still in operation."
It opened in 1957. The exterior, as you can see, is fabulous, and the interior doesn't disappoint either. Highly recommended for googie aficionados -- and the hungry.
along the salton sea in the california desert, the full moon hidden behind the sign. bracketed HDR exposure to capture both the neon sign and the night sky. nikon D7000 + nikkor 10-24mm. HDR processed in nik HDR efex pro 2.
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.
mamiya 6MF 75mm f/3.5 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
Rocky Mount, NC
I'll leave it up to you to decide just how classy this sports bar is, but if you want to visit, good luck -- I couldn't find any evidence of its existence, now or earlier, except for a news item about a shooting, and now I can't even find that. It had the look of being closed/abandoned when I took this photo and I suspect it was, and is likely long gone.
abandoned bar in a roadside ghost town along US 6 in central nevada. mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
Grafton, WV
This rare sign is very special to me and always will be. The first time I visited it, it was on purpose, having seen Dean Jeffrey's photos of it and being totally smitten as soon as I saw them. And, if you're not following Dean, you should!
www.flickr.com/photos/29276830@N02/albums
That first encounter with this sign was so much fun, and I was fortunate to capture some wonderful images. I feel blessed that that great experience resulted in images that were chosen to be in two different gallery exhibitions. I have returned to Grafton once after that first trip and this is one of the photos I took then.
According to the always-informative Roadside Architecture site, this sign was "meticulously repainted" in 2016 (this photo pre-dates that) and, in 2019, they demolished the existing building but reinstalled this sign on top of the new building. Thank goodness.
B & O Cleaners
US 17/92
DeLand, FL
The sign is in rough shape, but the business didn't look like it was in trouble. Nice to see an old dry cleaning business still serving the community.
Route/US 441
Gainesville, FL
To me, this old sign looked like it had recently received some fresh paint. I really liked the striking red arrow.
Sun Valley, California
The Pink Motel was opened by Maximillian and Gladys Thomulka in 1946, back when San Fernando Road was a major artery for tourists coming into Los Angeles. It hasn't operated as a motel for quite some time, but it sure isn't fading away -- it's a popular site for movie and television crews and you've probably seen it in a music video, a commercial, or in a tv show or movie.
Every story tells a picture.
Riviera at the blue hour, rain coming and going in bands, no place I'd rather have been that night❤⚡!
#roadsideamerica #roadtrippin #epiccoloradotrip2016 #americana #sonya7rii #bluehour #vintageneon #vintagemotel #signgeeks #colfax #savethesigns #thisplacematters #denver #milehighcity #colorado #streetscape
Burbank, CA
If you ever find yourself in Burbank and need to quench your thirst, head for The Blue Room, one of the best old dive bars around. Don't let the rough corrugated metal exterior fool you; when you enter, you'll be greeted by a dimly lit, low-ceilinged room with amazing turquoise banquettes. You'll feel like you're back in the 1950s. Remember to bring cash though -- they don't take plastic.
North Wildwood, NJ
This sign strongly reminds me of the Cinerama sign in Hollywood -- I suspect that it might have been the inspiration.
This wasn't an accidental find .... I had seen other photos of this sign and drove specifically to Avon Park to see it with my own eyes. It's definitely worth seeing, if you're ever anywhere near there. My next goal? See it at night.
Avon Park, FL
SAD UPDATE: It's gone, as of February 2018. Please see Debra Jane Seltzer's comment, below, for the scoop.
On US 1
Fredericksburg, VA
Allman's Bar-B-Q has been serving the hungry folks in Fredericksburg since 1954.
US 17
Jacksonville, FL
The old metal door is rusted, the papered-up windows are looking rough, the driveway is potholed, and the entire place has the look of abandonment and disrepair. I'm pretty sure Fat Jack's was no longer open.
I'm used to seeing dilapidated, rundown places as we travel around. I would really like to know why one end the old Coca-Cola privilege sign was completely painted over with red paint. What was the point of that? Unfortunately, there was nobody around to ask.
Route 66
Highland Park neighbourhood,
Los Angeles, CA
From the route66ca.org web site: "Quite a few landmarks make Highland Park a must-see on your Route 66 exploration of Los Angeles. The most famous is probably Chicken Boy, the western-most of the so-called “Muffler Men” along Route 66. Located at 5558 N. Figueroa, Chicken Boy is just a short walk from the Highland Theatre (5604 N. Figueroa), designed by L.A. Smith and opened on 5 March, 1925."
Chicken Boy and the Highland Theatre scaffold sign: two fixtures of Route 66 in one photograph. I took many pictures as I walked the Highland Park neighbourhood -- this photo is one of my favourites.
Glendale, CA
This is what used to be the Seeley's Furniture building. It was constructed in 1925, with an exterior remodel in the 1940s. The furniture store closed in the 1990s -- it was being leased out for both residential and business purposes but I don't know its current fate.
I've always loved chenille and so this small, dilapidated building with its abandoned appearance intrigued me when we drove by it earlier this year on US41 in Tunnel Hill, GA I found this info online: Willene and Jack Morgan opened Morgan Mfg on US41 in Tunnel Hill in 1952; the business lasted for 40 years, closing in 1992.
Info from Southern Tufts: The Regional Origins and National Craze for Chenille Fashion, written by Ashley Callahan.
Tunnel Hill, Georgia
Route/US 17
Myrtle Beach, SC
This large, dramatic sign, with the big yellow arrow (missing its bulbs) and a neon firecracker, was one I had to stop and shoot, despite the weather being miserable. Unfortunately, info online indicates this location has permanently closed.
Route 66
Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA
Pier Burger has a great sign and a wonderfully vibrant red exterior. Unfortunately we didn't get to try their burgers.
Alhambra, CA
When Charles Phoenix, the king of kitsch and americana, tells you to check something out, you know what you do? You take it as gospel and you check it out!
It was early November 2018, the opening night reception for the Signs United "Signs of Life" gallery show at The Perfect Exposure Gallery in Alhambra. I had four photos in the show. Charles Phoenix was there that night, and we started talking about the Alhambra area, which was unfamiliar to me. He asked if I'd seen Bun n Burger yet and when finding out I hadn't (I hadn't even heard of it, to be honest), he said it was a must.
And so my hubby and I made sure to go before heading home, not only to shoot the absolutely amazing neon waiter but also to eat. The food was yummy and the sign was oh-so-memorable. If you're in the Los Angeles area and want to see a great old diner -- opened in 1941! -- make sure to head to Alhambra.
You can read a bit about this old diner here:
I chatted with the security guard as I was shooting this old beauty (with the missing neon tubes but that gorgeous bulb-filled -- well, almost -- star) on Rosemead, trying to get info from him regarding the history of this drive in. "Just a swap meet, no more movies," he said repeatedly. "No movies!"
He didn't understand I knew that and was only looking for historical info. At least he was really nice :-)
South El Monte, CA