Vintage neon signs

[Ghostsoldier]

World's largest.

Rob

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Smorgasbord.

Rob

 

[BobHufford]

Apologies if this is a repeat ... Memphis, TN.

 

[Zombie_61]

Smorgasbord.
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Rob

I wonder what that Husky thinks of the food.

 

[dh66]

Apologies if this is a repeat ... Memphis, TN.

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There was a rotosphere atop a bowling alley in my neighborhood that had been there since the early 60s. Sadly it fell to make way for a walmart. I don't know what happened to the sign, but I hope it didn't end up at the scrap yard.

I found these pics on the internet. They look like they were taken after the place had shut down. My friends and I polished off many a pitcher of cheap draft there when we were in our 20s.

 

[tonyb]

Any vintage neon aficionados in greater Denver may wish to visit the Englewood Library at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow, August 30, or the Filling Station (a tavern on South Acoma Street) at 6:30 p.m. for presentations on efforts to preserve the groovy old neon signage around here.

 

[BobHufford]

... and then by the 1970s we had this:

^^^^^ Lexington, Missouri.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^^
I bet those backlit plastic beer signs are selling for good money now.

 

[LizzieMaine]

In my town it was always rare to see those without at least one hole in them from a rock. Kids today.

 

[tonyb]

It ain’t neon, but I admit to liking the look of backlit plastic signs. I once lived near a large ’60s(?) built retail center — several acres of parking and maybe half a dozen separate structures each with three or four or five stores. I was quite taken with it visually, especially right at dusk. Lotsa glowing colors.

Whaddya s’pose people not yet born will, some several decades from now, gaze upon images of such scenes and get all misty-eyed?

 

[tonyb]

I stole this picture, couldn’t tell you where it is.

 

[Zombie_61]

I stole this picture, couldn’t tell you where it is.

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Birchwood, Wisconsin. Apparently, the town of Birchwood is known as "the Bluegill capital of Wisconsin". Great sign!

 

[tonyb]

Birchwood, Wisconsin. Apparently, the town of Birchwood is known as "the Bluegill capital of Wisconsin". Great sign!

Well, now I know that!

I caught many a bluegill fishing with my maternal grandfather on Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin when I was a youngster. But I didn’t catch near as many as he did.

We fished with cane poles from an aluminum rowboat, probably no more than a hundred feet from shore. Grandpa fished two poles at a time. When the fish were biting, he’d be pulling in a fish with one pole about the time he took a fish off the other and put another worm on the hook. Seriously, we’d catch 40 or more fish (of which he caught the overwhelming majority) in less than an hour. Last I talked with him about it (he went to the big fishing derby in the sky in ’89), he said the fishing there “ain’t worth a damn anymore.”

 

[BobHufford]

Restaurant in Tulsa since 1953.

 

[tonyb]

In my town it was always rare to see those without at least one hole in them from a rock. Kids today.

I take a not-entirely unfavorable view of such things. Get a district too spiffed-up and the riffraff ain’t far behind, as I’m confident you’ve witnessed in your little burg.

 

[BobHufford]

This is a re-run, but it is a night time photo in all its neon glory. This theatre (in Springfield, Missouri) was built by my wife's great-grandfather (as the general contractor). I had previously listed the builder as her grandfather, but she corrected me (they were both general contractors and built many landmark buildings around town).

1950:

 

[Mean Eyed Matt]

Just wonderful!

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Noir.

Rob

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Christmas noir.

Rob

 

[Zombie_61]

^ "Look kids! Santa's disembodied head is floating above our main street, making sure everyone on this street stays safe!"