View allAll Photos Tagged signgeeks
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.
mamiya 6MF 75mm f/3.5. kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
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.
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.
Four shot vertical panorama. It's what you do when the light is great and you have a 135 f/2 on your camera.
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.
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."
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.
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 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.
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:
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."
This is one of my photos that was part of the #SIGNGEEKS exhibition at the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, CA. I shot this in Hamilton, ON -- the store is closed, but this great sign still hangs above the sidewalk.
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.
Sherman Oaks, CA
I love this towering sign for the Valley Beverage Company .... that great bulb arrow, neon liquor bottle, the "fine" in neon script, and those fabulous corrugated metal triangles with the chunky neon letters. Sure, it's rusty and crusty -- that gives it character!
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.
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
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.
Petersburg, VA
Really fun storefront and signage, from the neon "furniture" sign to the cool Philco sign with its funky shape and, if you look close, you'll see the king too!
Hamilton, ON
Maybe my fellow Canadians can help me out? I think the "Royal Oak" in the sign refers to the company that provides us with all those bags of charcoal for our barbecues? But I'm not sure because I can't find any reference to that particular logo. It's an old sign so I'm guessing the logo could be retired, but you'd think I'd be able to find something. All the logos I can find online have a crown, not an acorn.
all that remains of a whiting bros. truck stop and motel are the vintage signs along route 66 / interstate 40 in yucca, az. nikon D7000 + nikkor 18-200mm, photoshop CS6 + nik color efex pro.
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.
Jacksonville, FL
In the fall of 2014, on one of our many road trips down to Florida, we took a side trip into Jacksonville specifically so I could shoot this amazing neon sign. It's huge! Big chunky letters (about 10 feet tall) and that coffee cup with its animated neon drips -- good to the last drop! Those letters date back to 1955 and used to be on another side of the building until they were moved to this side in 1971. And the porcelain enamel cup is 45 feet tall!
I learned all these details from the always helpful Roadside Architecture web site. I also learned that, in 2016, the sign was repainted and the red neon tubing on the cup and letters was replaced with LED tubing. The drips are no longer animated. I'm very glad I shot this back in 2014.
In March 2020 we were in Jacksonville again and drove near here and, for some reason, I decided to skip going back to shoot it. You know, I'm kind of glad I did. I would have been disappointed, I think. At least now, the next time I see it, I'll be prepared.