View allAll Photos Tagged signgeeks
Vancouver, BC
I don't live here anymore, but this is my hometown. Vancouver's downtown area now known as the Downtown Eastside, dominated by Hastings Street, has vastly changed since my youth. Back then, it was a vibrant, bustling part of the city. In recent times the area has significantly changed and is no longer vibrant at all. It's quite sad.
The Hotel Balmoral was once a jewel of downtown Vancouver. It opened for business back in 1912 as a high-end hotel. Canada's Historic Places web site has this to say about the hotel's beginning: "Built in 1911-1912 at the peak of prosperity, the Balmoral Hotel is representative of the city's entrepreneurial optimism for the future. Vancouver had by that time become firmly established as the financial distribution, shopping and manufacturing centre of British Columbia.
In a September 1912 announcement of the official opening of the Balmoral Hotel, the journal Architect, Builder, and Engineer notes that construction of this first-class hotel 'will relieve some of the former congestion in hotel circles of the day'. This type of high-class establishment would have accommodated commercial businessmen and wealthy travellers to the area, rather than the seasonal workers who lived in less elaborate hotels and lodgings."
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. In 2020, the city of Vancouver reached a deal with the owners (who had been renting rooms to the local vulnerable folks) to expropriate the now-derelict hotel and it is to be turned into safe and secure low-income public housing.
And of course, I'm all about that wonderful old neon sign. It was designed by Neon Products in the 1940s. The entire downtown area was once dominated by large, dramatic neon signs and this old relic is a visual reminder of the former neon glory that was found on the streets of Vancouver.
Los Angeles, CA
If this large, bright signage doesn't attract the attention of hungry passers-by, I don't know what would!
On US 1,
Stockton Springs, Maine
The front of the sign looks like it's had a paint job, but the sides sure don't!
US 30 (the Lincoln Highway)
Bedford, PA
Novelty architecture is always fun to find, and this gem along the Lincoln Highway is one of the neatest I've seen.
Found online: "The Coffee Pot in Bedford, Pennsylvania is an example of novelty architecture. The lunch stand was built in the shape of a coffee pot by David Koontz in 1927. It was threatened with demolition in the 1990s, but in 2004 was moved across the street and restored. It currently serves as a gift shop."
Richmond, VA
Friedman's was closed by its owner back in 2016, after being in business since the 1930s. After checking online, I learned the earliest business licence John Goodman, the owner, could find when he researched the history of the business dated back to 1933, when Ben and Max Friedman opened the pawn shop. Almost a decade later the business was sold into the Goodman family.
Rochester, New York
Since 1956!
From their web site:
"It's the classic American success story. In 1956 two brothers make the decision to strike out on their own, opening the first Schaller's restaurant on Edgemere Drive near the lake.
Their premise of great food, friendly service and reasonable pricing would be the cornerstone of their success. They were right."
the ruins of the abandoned sundowner motel on the west shore of the salton sea, not long before the burned ruins were bulldozed to make way for a truck stop.
scans from the archives. nikon n90s + sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 + circular polarizer. film: fujichrome velvia RVP 50. lab: A&I color, hollywood, ca. scan: nikon coolscan 5000. exif tags: lenstagger.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
Azusa, CA
I love the tall, skinny palm trees in southern California. This photo just screams SOCAL to me lol
A to Z Liquor opened in 1962 -- good to see they're still going strong.
the abandoned motor-vu drive-in theater - opened 1952, closed 2014. mamiya 6MF 75mm f/3.5 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
Tampa, FL
The sun was setting and the night was rising when we ventured into downtown Tampa after a day spent photographing mostly motels in the Tampa and St Pete's area. And, we found this. The Roadside Architecture site advises this bus station was built around 1961, and this is the original sign. It's a beauty.
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 neon along old route 66 in the california desert. 2 second exposure, nikon D7000 + nikkor 10-24mm.
high desert shopping, opened for business october 1959.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
Route/US 19
somewhere south of Meadville, PA
I was charmed by the offset printing on this old barn. I've seen lots of "mail pouch" barns in Pennsylvania, but this was the first printed like this one.
i was saddened to see on the news that the summit inn, a landmark route 66 diner in california's cajon pass, burned august 17, 2016 in the "blue cut" wildfire.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger.
Bradford, PA
In my Pennsylvania album, you'll find a close-up of the old, rusty Hotel Holley sign. This shot gives you a great view of the entire street scene.
I found some interesting information online about the history of this old hotel (built at the turn of the century). The following text (complete with typos lol), which I found at the Smethport History web site, is from the "Historical Bradford Illustrated 1901":
"This superb hotel, recently completed, is the finest in western New York and Pennsylvania. It is strictly fire proof in every sense of the word, the only wood used in the entire building being the doors, door casings and windows.
The hotel Holley occupies a ground space of 100x130 feet and has 90 rooms, 50 of which have baths connnected. The plumbing is all exposed and nickel plated, the closets and lavatories being wainscoted with Italian marble. The furnishings throughout the house are of the very best. Biglow axminster and body brussell carpets being used entirely. The bedsteads are the latest procurable, being of brass and having a covered box spring with hair mattresses.
Special mention is made of the kiktchen which, besides having all the modern appliances necessary for cooking cappetizing food, is entirely covered with white tile. There is a finely appointed billard hall, reading room, barber shop and bar.
The Hotel Holley was built by E. N. Unrub, but it has been under the personal supervision of Mr. F. P. Holley, who has watched every part completed adn his whole thought has been to construct a building that would make a comfortable, safe and luxurious home for his guests and to say that he has succeeded nobly hardly covers it. Mr. Holley was born at Monticello, N.Y., coming to Bradford in 1885 and has resided here ever since.
He was proprietor of the late Riddell house for fifteen years, his patronage increasing to such an extent that larger quarters were necessary so the Riddell was torn down and the present hotel Holley was erected on the same site. Mr. Holley is very popular and the universal wish is that his successful career will continue."
Sudbury, ON
Sadly, this sign is gone. Oh, the motel still stands on Lorne Street, but this great old neon is history and a new (boring) sign now states that the motel is the Imperial Fireside Inn.
Toronto, ON
No more dancing, ballroom or otherwise. No more Matador.
This famous Toronto music venue has stood shuttered for more than a decade, after being opened around 1915. It was a speakeasy way back in the day, it's been a destination for dancing, it's even been a country and western bar. Johnny Cash played here. Joni Mitchell. Leonard Cohen. The list goes on. After plans for it to be razed for a parking lot (I wonder what Joni Mitchell would think of that) and after it was then purchased with the intent to refurbish it and reopen it, letting the music play on once more, it's been sold to a developer and the apparent plans are to build......wait for it...... a condo.
I read online that the developer intends to keep the sign. We shall see.
shot in 1996, marquee of the abandoned edwards drive-in theater in arcadia, ca. built 1948, demolished late 1990s. now residential housing.
scans from the archives. nikon 8008s + nikkor 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5, kodak gold 400. scan: nikon coolscan 5000. EXIF tags: lenstagger.
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: filmtagger.
Tower Records, on Sunset
West Hollywood, CA
I enjoyed the documentary, All Things Must Pass. If you haven't watched it, I recommend giving it a look -- it's a fascinating look at the rise and fall of Tower Records.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.
Petersburg, VA
For a few years, when exiting off I-95 to go into Petersburg, VA, the first sight you would see was this abandoned restaurant and motel, still standing but in bad shape. Finally, last year, in January 2020, we noticed that it had finally been completely torn down.
It's a shame it couldn't have been renovated and re-opened. It featured this very cool round restaurant and a large motel area as well. Back in the day, I bet it was a swell place. When we drove around it in 2017 (when this picture was taken), it was just so sad......boarded-up, with broken glass scattered all over the parking lot near the motel rooms. The gloomy day only added to the depressing scene.
Los Angeles (Inglewood), CA
This stunning building was formerly a movie theatre, but has been a church for decades now.
From the Cinema Treasures web site:
"Opened on November 7, 1939 and designed by architect S. Charles Lee, the Academy Theater, a classic Art Moderne style structure, was originally designed to house the Academy Awards.
Sadly, however, the Academy Theater never did host the ‘Oscars’, but it was often the location of film premieres and served as a major suburban theater for the Fox West Coast Theatres chain.
The Academy Theater continued to show movies until 1976, when it became a church."
Original location
258 Bernard Street, Bakersfield, CA
Now in the collection of the Museum of Neon Art (MONA)
216 S Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA
in all seriousness, it was fine, if a bit dated and worn. extra credit: spot the speed trap on the far left, 25mph limit in small towns throughout nevada.
mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: filmtagger
Standing in the empty parking lot beside Donahoo's on a Saturday morning, before they were even open, all I could smell as I took several photos of their towering sign was fried chicken.....that greasy, spicy odour that causes instant hunger.
Pomona, CA
there's no eats or gas to be had at this abandoned mojave desert truck stop. mamiya 6MF 50mm f/4 + kodak portra 160. lab: the icon, los angeles, ca. scan: epson V750. exif tags: lenstagger.