View allAll Photos Tagged SignGeeks,
Cincinnati, OH
Wonderful old skyscraper-shaped sign -- a little rusty and crusty around the edges and missing neon, but overall I think it's fabulous.
the famous route 66 landmark in the middle of california's mojave desert. polaroid spectra pro instant camera + impossible project B&W film.
Route/US 17
Warrenton, VA
This is where the locals went to get a good steak, for years. Decades. Sadly, it closed down several years ago.
Writes Todd Middleton in FauquierNow, back in 2013:
"What's missing in the Warrenton area is a talented, motivated, passionate chef and owner. Someone with a creative, fresh approve (sic) to the food service industry. Where it's missing is the location: 6806 James Madison Highway, Warrenton, Va.
Ben and Mary's Steakhouse in days past was not only a larger than life landmark, but the owners provided great food, even better service and consistency in their product. It's where everyone went to get a great steak and a good drink for a family night out.
That type of restaurant never goes out of style and will thrive even in poor economic times. I hope someone out there is reading and listening to this and accepts the challenge of opening a real restaurant in a great location. In the mean time, I'll fire up my backyard grill to cook my own steaks . . . and wait."
I'm not positive, but all these years later, I think the former Ben & Mary's is still sitting empty.
Route 66,
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
This Route 66 classic is such a beautiful sign. And, notice the charring on the lamp spout? That's because it shoots out flames! I have not had the good fortune to see it at night....yet. I sure hope to, one day.
Once again (as always, it seems!) the wonderful Roadside Architecture web site has the history of this Southern California historic sign:
"The Magic Lamp Inn sign is believed to be the only one in the country featuring a real gas flame. Lucy and John's Italian restaurant was built in 1941. It closed in 1955 after a devastating fire. The building was then sold to John Clearman, famous later on for his North Woods Inn chain in Southern California. Three of these restaurants with faux snow-covered roofs are still operating. Clearman took the burnt shell of the Lucy and John's building, remodeled it, and opened it as the Magic Lamp Inn in 1957. The building was faced with brick and Spanish tile was added to the roof. The interior was styled as a Bavarian steakhouse with dark wood and upholstered booths. The Lucy and John's rooftop sign was adapted with the new name. The new sign in the shape of an Aladdin's lamp was installed. Instead of the steel oil lamp's spout springing forth a genie, it features an actual gas flame. The sign is inspected annually by the fire department for gas leaks and safety. The sign is turned on and off manually each night with two switches: one for the neon and the other for the flame."
Route/US 30 (Lincoln Highway)
Jennerstown, PA
Sadly, this sign is gone. The sign's frame stands but everything else has been stripped away. I discovered this in the fall of 2019, when last we drove along here. Tied on the frame was a canvas sign proclaiming "Future administrative home of the Mountain Playhouse".
I really liked the corrugated plastic sign and the small neon arrow. And yes, there was a small wishing well set back on the lawn. I wonder if that's still there.
Every year I check....always glad to see this old friend still standing. Will always be one of my favourite finds!
Savannah, GA
On Colorado Blvd (Route 66); Pasadena, CA
Being a fan of The Big Bang Theory, I was delighted to be able to walk to this train store -- Sheldon's favourite, maybe lol -- from our hotel during our stay in Pasadena in 2016. It's a fantastic sign and the neon train even lights up like it's moving! Definitely worth seeing in person for all neon lovers.
Richmond, VA
This animated bulb-only scaffold sign on the roof of the C.F. Sauer Company's headquarters is one of the most magnificent signs I've come across. I was mesmerized by this huge beauty, watching the chef pour his vanilla into the mixing bowl and stir it in. Amazing!
The sign is almost 100 years old, dating back to 1925.
Belleville, ON
These old Kentucky Fried Chicken locations, with the Scott's Chicken Villa signage, are a disappearing sight here in Ontario.
Columbus, OH
What a great old sign -- there's an old clock, neon script, chunky neon letters, plus bulbs!
Still owned by the Lisska family, the bar opened up in the 1930s. Reading reviews online, it seems the food at this classic dive bar is pretty good. They have homemade desserts! Now I wish we'd ventured inside. Next time.
It's time-ravaged for sure, but still such a marvellous sign.
Gainesville, FL
UPDATE: Sadly, this motel and its amazing sign are gone.
The sign is encased in plexiglass, no doubt as protection. I was charmed by the neon butterfly.
North Providence, Rhode Island
Sherman Oaks, CA
Baxter Northup is the oldest continuously operating music store in California -- it was founded by Harry Baxter and Ray Northup about 115 years ago!
On US 1 in Waldoboro, Maine
Everything was wonderful -- the sign, the service, our dinner, even the cookbook I bought.
Montreal, Quebec
A local neighbourhood pub since 1960, Miss Villeray has a striking neon sign full of imagery. It shows its age in spots, but who doesn't? lol
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
Columbus, OH
Carl Zipf Lock Shop used to have a very old, very beat up neon key-shaped sign. I wish I could have photographed it, but it was removed a year or so before we went on a sign-hunting expedition in Columbus -- this is the sign that replaced it. I appreciate that they didn't replace it with something boring but instead chose a modernized version of their old sign.
the landmark kentile floors sign in the brooklyn neighborhood of gowanus is no more. originally photographed in 2004, processed with various desktop apps 2014.
the abandoned wells fine cars dealership on old highway 99 in selma, ca. shot with an iphone 5s, processed with various desktop apps.
Everett, MA
In the Boston suburb of Everett, you'll find the wonderful Dairy Maid. If you have a peek in my Massachusetts album, you'll see a night shot. The morning I took this photo, the owner was very gracious and even though he wasn't yet open for business for the day -- and was busily doing food prep, dicing up fruit -- he graciously took the time to talk to us. He was very proud of both his business and the wonderful sign, and urged us to return to see it at night. We did and were very happy we followed his advice.
Columbus, OH
So who knows anything about Diet Cinch? I sure don't -- I've never seen it or heard of it.
Columbus, OH
Teresa's Pizza has a splendid Paramount Vodka ghost sign on the side of its building. I wonder if any of the vodka comes with the pizza? LOL
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
Augusta, GA
Came across this wonderful old camera shop signage when wandering the downtown Augusta GA area. The camera shop is actually long gone -- this was a pawn shop. I'm thankful the pawn shop owners left the original signage alone instead of tearing it all down.
North Wildwood, NJ
The Vegas Diner has been serving locals and tourists alike since the late 1970s. We had dinner here one night and thoroughly enjoyed it -- both the food and the old-school diner atmosphere were great.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
derelict water tanker in the fading town of ludlow along old route 66 / interstate 40 in the middle of california's mojave desert. polaroid spectra pro instant camera + impossible project B&W film.
Granby, Quebec
This amazing (and tall!) animated neon sign is one of my favourite finds. The restaurant had its beginnings in 1950 and the sign went up in 1972.
From their web site:
"1950: After working as a salesman, delivery man and even bartender in his spare time, Bernard "Ben" Dubé opened his own restaurant at the age of 19 to satisfy his love of the public and potatoes!
1972: Several sketches, countless hours of work and an astronomical sum at the time of $ 6,700 later was born this mega Ben, thirty feet tall, filled with neon lights, which feeds on a good hot-dog day and night.
The idea was a success and put the canteen back on track for good. It wasn't until 25 years later that Ben realized how big an impact the brand had on his business when it was chosen to cover the Mondial in advertising around the world. A nice pat on the back for someone we called crazy at the time."
To read more:
Richmond, VA
Doesn't this old building have marvellous detail!? Built in 1928, this was previously the home of The Berry-Burk Company, a clothing store. Imagine shopping for clothes here!
The store is long gone and the building has been repurposed to apartments.
As a bonus, I also captured a second, partially-hidden scaffold sign too!
Route/US 15
Bishopville, SC
The Sharecropper had a look of abandonment to me. From the information I was able to find online, the restaurant's owner, Charles "Chuck" Atkinson, who continued the restaurant after his mother, the original owner, died, passed away himself just a few months before I shot this photo.
at 6am, all of the tweakers are finally curling up to sleep. the rundown and wind-blown queens motel sits on the edge of the open desert, the last stop for many who are down and out.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
On US 301
Claxton, GA
I liked the corrugated plastic and the old metal arrow with the bulbs. This is the type of place we like to find for lunch or dinner when road tripping. Unfortuantely, it looked closed when we stopped, and online, it's listed as permanently closed.
Sherman Oaks, CA
Two signs for the price of one LOL:
Casa Vega Restaurant, and Sherman Oaks Village -- and that nifty arrow!
Columbus, OH
From the Cinema Treasures web site:
"The Livingston Theatre was a neighborhood theatre that opened in 1946 on the east side of Columbus. The marquee still has “Livingston” in stainless steel letters across the front of the building.
From 1967 it was renamed Gayety-Livingstone Theatre, playing gay adult movies. By 1976 it became the Club Columbus Baths, a gay bathhouse, which later was renamed The Flex Club, still a gay bath house, which occupied the theatre until late-2011. In late-2012 proposals were made to renovate the theatre. In early-2019 the auditorium was demolished and senior housing will be built on the site. The façade has been saved."
Columbus, OH
This iconic neon scaffold sign that graces Capitol Square and downtown Columbus, Ohio, went up back in 1958. The banner was added in 1971. And this year, 2021, marked both the 50th anniversary of that banner, plus the 150th year of the newspaper. As you might guess, other signs preceded this one too.
To learn more, have a look here:
www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2021/07/01/iconic-dispa...
a weathered billboard on the western fringes of barstow. mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
Lynn, MA
This wonderful old shoe sign has a neon lassie on this side and, you guessed it, a lad on the other.
This sign is part of an installation of neon signs in Lynn, a suburb of Boston. In 2018, Lynn started to light up its streets with a collection of vintage neon signs. The project was supposed to run for three years; I don't know if the signs are still up, but I sure hope they are! This is one of them.
Here's an article about the project:
Wildwood, NJ
I LOVE old, rusty, grungy signs. Despite that love, I know they aren't attractive to potential customers. I love the look of this sign but I probably wouldn't have stayed there, given the condition of the sign. I checked on google streetview and the Beach Holiday Motel must have realized their sign wasn't good for business, as they spiffied it up some time after I took this photo.
Honestly.....I wish their business well but I am glad I got a photo of it before the change.