My website update posts will have a few interruptions with some roadtrip posts. I took a little 3-day weekend trip to the L.A. a couple of weeks ago and now have all of those photos up at my website. I’ll share a few photos here.

The VFW Post sign in Burbank:

The Sou’s Shoe Repair sign in Burbank…

was reworked a bit last year. Yes, the old look was nicer. Now there are vinyl sheets stuck on the sign and tacky LED crap around the borders. But, okay, it could be worst (i.e., a rectangular plastic box sign):

I made a pit stop at MONA (Museum of Neon Art) in Glendale and got to see a few recent arrivals and other things that had been brought out of storage. The La Palma Chicken Pie Shop sign that was in Anaheim is looking great:

The Dave’s Coffee Shop (from Oakland, CA) and the Hollywood Athletic Club signs are now in a little sign garden area next to the museum:

The House of Spirits signs from Echo Park are there as well:

Back on the road… the former Main Library in Riverside is being adapted for the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture. It has incredible basket-weave concrete panels:

A new sculpture has been installed in Dana Point — finally, a woman! That’s Joyce Hoffman:

This building in Redlands was built in 1967 for Tossie’s Chicken-to-Go restaurant:

This horse in Fontana was recently repainted (previously brown). It stands in front of a Mexican restaurant. There is an identical horse at another Mexican place in Victorville:

I can’t find anything about the history of this building in El Monte but it packs a lot of fun in a small space:

I love this detailed painted mural on the side of a car repair place in South Gate:

This lovely sign is in San Pedro:

A couple shots from the fabulous Golf N’ Stuff in Norwalk from 1969:

A still-operating JC Penney in Huntington Park:

A fake lighthouse in Long Beach — the Lions Lighthouse:

A Tiki style eyeglass place in South Gate:

and a mid-century Mexican place across the street. I love the sloping roof and the layered roof/leaning sign over the entrance:

The wonderful neon sign at the Foster’s Freeze in Torrance…:

was replaced last year with this plastic version. I’m still pissed but I guess it could have been worse:

I shot a LOT of car washes this weekend since so many have been repainted, changed names, been remodeled. If mid-century car washes are your thing, I’ve got five packed pages here:

https://www.roadarch.com/modarch/carwash.html

The sign and fins at the Five Points Hand Car Wash (now named Googie Car Wash) in Whittier have been painted many different colors in recent years. Here’s the latest look:

That’s a wrap for now. I’m still working on the final website update section (mid-century modern buildings). It’s the biggest section so it’s taking some time. But I’ll be back soon since I have a couple of 4-day weekend trips coming up: Central CA/Bay Area in April and Northern CA in May. Then, the big trip to Wyoming, Montana, Dakotas, etc. in June.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

Here’s the final post from the Signs section. The pylon on the Franz Bakery Building in Seattle, WA:

now has plastic letters. Note that the clock on top is gone:

The Dahlia Lounge closed last year and this sign in Seattle is gone now:

This store closed in 2019 and this sign in Seattle is gone:

This sign in Seattle:

has been adapted slightly with surrounding panels and the female dancer now has an arm extending to support a pizza:

This modern male diver sign in Seattle is gone now:

The Airway Express Inn in Spokane, WA is gone now and so are these signs:

I don’t know why there are so few Google Maps cars in Wisconsin. So many streets have not been roamed since 2013, 2011, even 2008. So, there may be many signs and buildings that are gone that I don’t know about yet.

This sign in Columbus, WI…:

has been adapted:

This motel in Wisconsin Dells, WI has been demolished and this sign is gone. A big car wash there now:

This sign in West Allis, WI is gone now:

This sign in Milwaukee, WI:

Has changed names from Frank’s Power Plant to Patti’s Power Plant. The nice “skeleton” neon tubing on top of both sides for Frank’s has been removed and replaced with plastic panels for Patti’s:

The Ranger Motel sign in Laramie, WY:

has been repainted and new letters have been added:

The Elks Lodge sign in Laramie:

has been repainted. It looks like the neon is gone:

The neon sign on the left in Moorcroft, WY is gone now:

This motel in Newcastle, WY had double entrances — a sign for each. The motel has been demolished for a Dollar General and both signs are gone:

That’s a wrap! I’ve got a few little projects before I dive in to the final section (the biggest one, Mid-Century Modern Buildings). The next post will probably be from the L.A. area as I start on some little California roadtest trips before the big summer trip.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

Here’s another hefty post of signs that are gone or have been transformed. This sign in Austin, TX:

has been adapted for a clothing store:

The sign on the other side:

was replaced:

This sign in Dallas, TX:

was apparently being carted off in 2021 when the Google Car drove by. That’s the pole on the left. I doubt it’s being restored or that we’ll see it here again:

This sign in Dallas is gone now, too:

This El Fenix on Colorado Blvd. in Dallas is gone now and so is the sign:

Here’s what’s become of the Cortez Motel sign in El Paso, TX — the “before”:

and the “after”:

This sign in El Paso, TX:

now looks like this:

This sign in Fort Worth:

now looks like this:

Finally done with Texas. This sign in Milford, UT is gone now:

These letters in Roy, UT:

… are now missing their neon:

This sign and business in Ogden, UT are gone now after a big fire last year. The owners plan to rebuild:

This sign in Salt Lake City, UT:

has been adapted for Big Daddy’s Pizza:

This sign in Bellingham, WA is gone now:

This sign in Everett, WA is basically gone now. The neon has been removed and the panels painted over for another business:

This sign in Stanwood, WA is gone now:

This sign in Tacoma, WA is gone now. Another flower shop has moved into the building:

These signs in Tacoma, WA are gone now:

That’s enough for this post. I still have more Washington to go. There are only 15 pages left in the Signs section though which I should be able to wrap up tomorrow. Then, we’ll be on to the final section (Mid-Century Modern Bldgs) which will take a few months to get through. I’m going to take a few little roadtrips soon which will interrupt those posts with some good news: stuff that’s actually still left.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

Moving on to the “T” states… This billboard sign in Johnson City, TN next to I-26 is gone now. It had been there since at least 1981:

Out of alphabetical order but this sign in Chemult, OR was just removed by a sign seller:

This store in Memphis, TN has closed and the sign is gone:

This sign in Texarkana, TX is gone now:

This sign in Tyler, TX is gone now:

This sign in Denton, TX is gone now:

This sign in Anna, TX is gone now. The business is still there:

This sign in Bandera, TX is gone now:

This sign in Beaumont, TX is gone now:

This sign in Bowie, TX:

… has been messed with. The neon and the original corrugated panels are gone:

This sign in Bryan, TX is gone now:

This beauty in Grand Prairie, TX…:

Looks like this now:

This business in Greenville, TX has closed and the sign is gone:

This sign in Hallettsville, TX…:

has been stripped and painted over for Flamingo Fro-Yo:

These sign panels in Lubbock, TX:

have been removed and the sign poles painted black:

This incredible backlit sign in McKinney, TX is gone now:

This sign in Austin, TX is gone now:

This sign in Austin, TX is also gone:

I still have a lot more Texas pages to comb but this post has gotten long enough for now.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

I’ve got enough to report for another post already. This drug store in Roseburg, OR closed in 2019. Just a few months later, the building was demolished and the sign was gone:

The Canton Grill in Portland, OR closed in 2020 and this sign is gone now:

The Fritch Fuel Company sign in Bethlehem, PA…

now has backlit plastic letters instead of neon. The old school digital clock & temperature unit on the lower left was updated with a digital display board:

This sign in Greensburg, PA…:

was repainted around 2009 (below) but the business has closed and the sign is gone now:

Jenkintown Electric in Jenkintown, PA moved next door earlier this year. When they attempted to remove this sign with the intention of moving it to the new location, it fell apart. They are now building a replica sign with aluminum panels and LED tubing.

This store in Norristown, PA closed in 2020 and the sign is gone now:

From the Rexall Drug store pages — this store in Springfield, CO is closed and the sign is gone:

These Rexall signs and panels in Rock Rapids, IA:

… have been painted over:

This store in Spring Valley, IL closed in 2014. These signs are gone now. The zigzag canopy and blue panels are still there:

These signs in Stantonsburg, NC are gone now:

These signs in Port Clinton, OH are gone now. The store had opened there in 1872. The building now houses Cosmic Rayz Atomic Emporium with retro candy, sodas, toys, etc.:

This drug store in Yorktown, TX is still open but the Rexall sign has been replaced with a modern sign:

That’s it on the Rexall signs. On to the “S” states. This sign in Sioux Falls, SD is gone now:

This sign and motel in Spearfish, SD are gone now:

Be back soon with more moving on to the “T” states in the next post.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

Here’s another lengthy post. I think this is more sign losses than last year. Picking back up with the “N” pages…

The Norge Ball in Long Beach, CA:

has been updated with a new band around the middle:

This Norge Village sign in Coalville, UT is gone now:

Finally, some good news! This Elks Lodge sign in Hawthorne, NV:

… was repainted and the neon restored in 2020:

This sign in Reno, NV (and the motel itself) are gone now.

This sign in Las Vegas, NV is gone now. I’m hoping that The Neon Museum got it but I’m waiting to hear back from them:

The Ruby Slipper on East Fremont in Las Vegas was removed recently. It was modeled after the Silver Slipper sign and built in 2007 for the City of Las Vegas. I assume that it’s in storage somewhere. I can’t find anything about it online. The Silver Slipper sign was restored by The Neon Museum and is installed in the median next to the museum:

This store in New York City closed in 2020 and the sign is gone now:

A little good news!! The Levinson’s Uniforms sign in Cuyahoga Falls, OH was missing in the most recent StreetView. I never got to shoot this one but here it was in 2020:

After some digging online, I finally found out that the sign was restored and repurposed — from Richard K. Levitz Twitter post a couple of months ago:
https://twitter.com/rklevitz/status/1486047380180979720/photo/1

This sign in Mansfield, OH is gone now. The business now has a modern, backlit plastic sign:

This sign in Tulsa, OK is gone now. The motel suffered a fire in 2019 and was demolished the following year:

This sign in Tulsa is also gone now:

The Kellogg Bowl in Milwaukie, OR closed in 2020. This sign is gone now (just the pole remains):

The other two signs are still there…. for now:

This pretty plastic and neon sign in Ontario, OR:

was repurposed around 2018 for a window tinting store:

and now it’s been adapted for a heating business with the paintbrush turned into a fireplace:

Let’s end with that. I’ll be back probably later this week with more.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

I didn’t think I’d be posting so quickly but the discoveries have been numerous and brutal. And I’m only in the middle of the “N” states.

This sign in Hardin, MT was originally installed on a rooftop as shown here:

It was recently removed and installed in front of the motel, replacing a less exciting box sign:

The Herrin Brothers building in Charlotte, NC was demolished in 2020 and the sign is gone:

This sign in Wilson, NC was originally installed for the Coral Room:

It was repurposed many times for different restaurants. It is gone now – just the restaurant panel remains:

This sign in Fargo, ND is gone now. The business moved in 2020 and the sign was removed then. It’s not at the new location.

This sign in Grand Forks, ND is gone now. A new liquor store moved in and remodeled the building:

This sign in Grand Forks, ND is gone now. It was leaning at such a precarious angle for years that I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did:

This beauty from 1935 in Hoboken, NJ is gone now. I tried to find out what happened to it but I don’t think it’s being restored and there’s hope of its return since the supports on the building are gone.

This sign in Lake Como, NJ is gone now:

This motel in Farmington, NM suffered a fire in 2017 and was demolished in 2020. This sign is gone now:

These signs in Raton, NM are pretty much gone now:

This sign in Gallup, NM is gone now:

Be back soon with more.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

Ready for another heartbreaking round? The Volk Cleaners sign in Louisville, KY is gone now. The Patrick’s sign on the right is still there:

This Rexall sign in Richmond, IN is gone now:

Here are the cheesey signs that replaced it:

This sign in New Orleans is gone now. I suspect it was destroyed by a hurricane:

This place in Dearborn Heights, MI is gone, the building demolished, and the sign is gone:

This sign in Flint, MI is gone now:

I believe this sign in Grand Rapids, MI started out as a Buick sign:

It’s now been repainted for another used car dealership:

This sign in Grand Rapids is gone now:

This sign in Port Huron, MI:

has been painted and updated with backlit plastic letters. Bummer. But the good news is, the bigger sign hasn’t been changed:

This sign in Brewster, MN is gone now:

This restaurant and sign in Minneapolis are gone now:

This motel and sign in Excelsior Springs, MO are gone now:

This sign in Independence, MO:

is now missing its letters:

This sign in Jackson, MS is gone now:

That’s enough tragedy for now. I’ll be back very soon.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs

One quick update on the University Hills Plaza sign in Denver, CO that was included in the last post. My personal Denver scout, Corky Scholl, drove by and saw that the letters were back up on the sign. The neon has been replaced with LED tubing The Google car just caught the image while it was being updated.

This big post covers Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Kansas. I hate to report that it’s all bad news.

This sign in Cedar Rapids, IA… :

has been replaced with new plastic panels and LED tubing:

This sign in Woodbine, IA is gone now:

This sign in Lava Hot Springs, ID is gone now:

This jewelry store in Centralia, IL closed and the sign is gone now:

The Willowbrook Ballroom in Willow Springs, IL was destroyed by fire in 2016. It was recently demolished and the sign is gone now:

This store in Mendota, IL has closed and the sign is gone:

This store in Midlothian, IL has also closed and the sign is gone:

The star on top of this sign in South Holland, IL is gone now:

The Zimmerman Ford sign in St. Charles, IL is gone now:

This sign in Chicago is gone now:

This sign in New Albany, IN was removed in 2019 when the building was being renovated:

In 2021, it looks like the work is nearly done. The small sign on the left has returned but I don’t know if the big sign will really be coming back. I can’t imagine they’re going to cover up those windows:

On to Kansas where there were lots of losses and bad makeovers. This pharmacy in Cimarron, KS moved across the street. The sign appears to be gone:

The signs at this motel in Fort Scott, KS are gone now:

This sign in Kansas City, KS is gone now:

These signs in Moundridge, KS are gone now:

This sign in Russell, KS is gone now:

This sign in Salina, KS had its neon removed and got a terrible paint job. Here’s the “before”:

and now:

This sign in Wathena, KS has also had the neon removed and been repainted. The “before”:

and now:

And lastly, this adapted sign in Wichita, KS is gone now:

I’ll be back this weekend, if not sooner, with more.

Happy trails,
dj & the dogs