View allAll Photos Tagged SignGeeks,
Los Angeles, CA
I was stoked to see this Warhol-inspired art as we were rushing towards LAX. I'm not sure where we even were but I think on La Cienega. I know we were near See's Candies.
I'm uncertain if this building still exists; I don't recall seeing this on our last trip to LA even though we specifically took a drive to See's for some goodies.
Ocala, FL
We drove through Ocala in November 2019 on our way home and was saddened to see, while this motel still exists, that the sign no longer looked like this (which I photographed in 2017). The "motel" is still there but the neon for "star" has been removed and the actual star and and some of the word has been covered up by a new, boring sign that says "STAR MOTEL" in plain, solid block red letters on a white background. Awful. I wanted to reshoot this sign but instead, we didn't even stop.
Los Angeles, CA
Serendipity. We had a red-eye flight back to Toronto the day I shot this image so, in the afternoon, we headed to the vicinity of LAX so it would be easy to return our rental car with plenty of time to catch our flight. We spent the time just driving around, exploring streets we hadn't driven before, with one eye on the clock. And as we did that, we came across these Stephan Plumbing signs. Pretty cool, right?
Jack Stephan served in the navy in WWII and, after the war ended, he started his own plumbing business in Los Angeles. Since I have never lived in Los Angeles, this plumbing business was not familiar to me, but I've learned online that Jack Stephan was well known for his commercials on local tv in the 70s and 80s.
Info about the signs from the always-informative Roadside Architecture site:
"Jack Stephan Plumbing & Heating had two animated neon signs. They are both at least 15 feet tall. One faucet pours water with sequentially lit strands of tubing. The other faucet has five drops which are lit in sequence. Chief Neon produced these signs in 1946 for $1,500. The signs had been dark since around 2015. The neon was a frequent target of rock-throwing vandals. The last estimate to repair the signs was $5,000. In 2018, these signs were donated to the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, CA."
I shot this photograph in late September, 2018, so I'm guessing I captured it shortly before the signs were removed to MONA in Glendale. Like I said, serendipity.
abandoned gas station along old route 66 between barstow and victorville.
60 second exposure early in the evening before the full moon rose, lots of ambient sodium vapor light here. light painting on gas pumps with LED flashlight. 5x 60sec stacked exposures for star trails. nikon D7000 + nikkor 10-24mm.
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.
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.
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 Seneca, NY
It was a hot August night when we pulled into the parking lot of the Kone King in the Buffalo NY suburb of West Seneca. We had driven this way to see if an old neon sign I had photographed years ago was still standing (sadly, it wasn't). This discovery made up for it though -- a giant ice cream cone and a corrugated plastic sign. Yay!
And how great to find a local ice cream shop -- one of the highlights of any good neighbourhood! According to their facebook page, they opened in 1976.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4. film: kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
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.
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.
mamiya 6MF 75mm f/3.5 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
North Wildwood, NJ
This sign strongly reminds me of the Cinerama sign in Hollywood -- I suspect that it might have been the inspiration.
Macon, GA
Quite the history with this old building, with a look reminiscent of the Flat Iron building in New York City (and also, we have one here in Toronto). The old-fashioned lamp posts also give the block a wonderful look.
"The Walton Building, and the street it sits on, is
named for Dr. D. T. Walton Sr., a local dentist and
prominent Civil Rights activist. This building housed
the epitome of successful African American business in the area. Multiple businesses were housed
in the building from the original Dewit Walton
dentist office to Dixie Tobacco and Candy. However,
the building truly flourished thanks to the Dixon
John Radio Service and J. L. Montgomery Home Art
Supply bringing city wide recognition to the district."
The above information is from the Cotton Avenue Walking Tour web site, which has fascinating info about the whole neighbourhood.
static1.squarespace.com/static/55933593e4b0847ca286c68d/t...
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.
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.
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.
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.