The Wheaton Grand Theater (or just the Grand) opened in 1925, with one screen and 1,000 seats. It first closed in the late 90's as a second run theater, but new owners re-opened and ran classic films, concerts, and other shows until 2006. The Grand has sat empty since, although a new owner is in the process of renovating and hopes to re-open in 2014.
I think this sign has been lightly refurbished in the last year or so-the paint looks nice and bright, even though the glass is mostly broken and missing. I hope the restoration of this cool old theater is successful-the exterior is still in nice shape and has lots of great period detail. It should look great.
Showing posts with label old neon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label old neon. Show all posts
Friday, February 8, 2013
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Gonnella Baking Co.
The classic Gonnella Baking Company sign, on their bakery on Chicago Avenue in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. Without a doubt the best smelling photograph I've ever taken.
Gonnella rolls are the official sub roll of Chicagoland. They are awesome.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Philadelphia Church
Another neon church sign in Chicago. This one's on Clark in the Andersonville neighborhood. According to their website, the Philadelphia Church has been serving the neighborhood for 86 years, and has an active calendar of programs as well as several overseas mission programs.
They also mention this sign! It's obviously a source of some pride for the church, as they keep it pretty well maintained and functional.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Nip 'N' Tote
Rudy's Liquors in Peru, Illinois. Pretty cool vintage sign, with a lot going on-stripes, bold colors, and chasers. It seems like it's in pretty good shape too, as it was turned on this bright sunny day.
Nip 'n' Tote seems backwards, though-surely you tote then nip?
Nip 'n' Tote seems backwards, though-surely you tote then nip?
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Larson's
This sign is a bit of a mystery to me. It's in the town of LaSalle, Illinois, tucked away from the downtown area, in a section that looks like it is (or was) a neighborhood shopping district. Just a few storefronts and an old gas station. The current business is an antique/junk type of shop (it didn't look open the day I was there), but it's not called Larson's. So I really have no idea what a Larson's is or was.My best guess is a restaurant or bar, but what's "BPS" mean?
I mean, look at it. This is a really nice sign. The colors are great, and most of the glass is still there, and it's not all rusted through. My research so far has turned up exactly one reference to this building, and that's my photo.
Any ideas?
I mean, look at it. This is a really nice sign. The colors are great, and most of the glass is still there, and it's not all rusted through. My research so far has turned up exactly one reference to this building, and that's my photo.
Any ideas?
Friday, September 28, 2012
Machine Shop Service
For a long time neon signs were the preferred way to advertise your business. A nice bright sign with the letters outlined in colorful tubes was just the thing to get people to notice your shop. Everyone, from chain stores to fast food restaurants to independent shops used them, and still do.
However, it's getting increasingly rare to see national chains with original vintage neon signs anymore. They're expensive to make, need more maintenance that a plastic one with fluorescent tubes inside, and the weather tends to really beat them up, especially in places like Chicago, where the winters are harsh and the summers often blazing. Additionally, when the company upgrades or changes their signage or other store design, the neon sign suddenly is outdated, leading to an inconsistent image. So, often times they're taken down, usually if they deteriorate badly enough, or that particular location moves somewhere else.
This Carquest sign is in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Carquest has been in business since the mid-70's, pretty much at the tail end of mass neon sign usage. I've no idea how common these were, but this is the only one I've ever seen-there's some peeling paint down near the bottom, which makes me wonder what it used to look like.
However, it's getting increasingly rare to see national chains with original vintage neon signs anymore. They're expensive to make, need more maintenance that a plastic one with fluorescent tubes inside, and the weather tends to really beat them up, especially in places like Chicago, where the winters are harsh and the summers often blazing. Additionally, when the company upgrades or changes their signage or other store design, the neon sign suddenly is outdated, leading to an inconsistent image. So, often times they're taken down, usually if they deteriorate badly enough, or that particular location moves somewhere else.
This Carquest sign is in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Carquest has been in business since the mid-70's, pretty much at the tail end of mass neon sign usage. I've no idea how common these were, but this is the only one I've ever seen-there's some peeling paint down near the bottom, which makes me wonder what it used to look like.
Friday, September 7, 2012
World Real Estate
This beauty must have looked great all lit up at night. Note the tree branch growing through it.
Seen on the north side of Chicago several years ago-I've no idea if it's still there.
Seen on the north side of Chicago several years ago-I've no idea if it's still there.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Ten Gallon Hat
Most people are probably familiar with the Arby's restaurant logo, a little stylized cowboy hat. It's been this way for as long as I can remember (not very, if I'm honest!), but back in the sixties the company really played up the Western theme. The earliest franchised restaurants were called "covered wagons", and were designed to have a sort of domed roof, reminiscent of an old Conestoga. Similarly, floors were tiled, in patterns that outlined steer horns, branding irons, and horses. And The Hat.
The iconic hat sign was designed by the company's sign maker, from the very first store opened in Ohio in the early sixties. Like the Golden Arches, The Hat was Arby's signature symbol, and you didn't have to even read the sign to know where you were heading.
Arby's stopped using the big neon signs some time ago, but older franchisees have made an effort to keep them in place, even when their buildings are updated and replaced (I don't think I've ever seen a "covered wagon", but I've seen a bunch of Hats).
Anyway, this one was in Aurora, Illinois, in front of an older restaurant, probably one from the later sixties. It was a fixture for decades, till the restaurant closed a couple of years ago, and The Hat was taken down. I sort of hope someone saved it-this one was in really nice shape.
The iconic hat sign was designed by the company's sign maker, from the very first store opened in Ohio in the early sixties. Like the Golden Arches, The Hat was Arby's signature symbol, and you didn't have to even read the sign to know where you were heading.
Arby's stopped using the big neon signs some time ago, but older franchisees have made an effort to keep them in place, even when their buildings are updated and replaced (I don't think I've ever seen a "covered wagon", but I've seen a bunch of Hats).
Anyway, this one was in Aurora, Illinois, in front of an older restaurant, probably one from the later sixties. It was a fixture for decades, till the restaurant closed a couple of years ago, and The Hat was taken down. I sort of hope someone saved it-this one was in really nice shape.
Friday, August 24, 2012
Heart 'O' Chicago Motel
I hardly call Edgewater the "heart of Chicago", being on the far north side, but it is conveniently-ish close to the lakefront and stuff like Wrigley Field, and the L which will take you right down into the Loop.
Either way, it's a classic sixties-style motel and has this awesome, well-kept sign out front. LessThanThree! <3 p="p">
Either way, it's a classic sixties-style motel and has this awesome, well-kept sign out front. LessThanThree! <3 p="p">
Friday, August 10, 2012
The Colonial Motel
I don't know much (okay, anything) about the Colonial Motel, except that it's on the east side of Elgin, just off U.S. Route 20, the Grant Highway. Which makes sense, because the Grant is a coast-to-coast road, and motels dot the length of it.
Oh, and it has this excellent fifties sign out front-I can totally imagine rolling up in an old '59 Chevy, back in the day.
Oh, and it has this excellent fifties sign out front-I can totally imagine rolling up in an old '59 Chevy, back in the day.
Friday, July 27, 2012
West-Wind Motel
Old school neon sign in West Chicago, Illinois. It still looks pretty good, and the glass is all intact, but I don't think it's lit up anymore (at least, I haven't seen it turned on in recent memory).
Too bad-it looks pretty good lit up. You can see it for a few seconds in the film "The Blues Brothers"-the West Wind is the motel Twiggy* is waiting at, near the end of the film.
*the chic lady in the Jaguar convertible that the boys meet at the gas station.
Too bad-it looks pretty good lit up. You can see it for a few seconds in the film "The Blues Brothers"-the West Wind is the motel Twiggy* is waiting at, near the end of the film.
*the chic lady in the Jaguar convertible that the boys meet at the gas station.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Midway Eat
Neon Friday!
I've been traveling past this sign for years and years now, but this is the first time I've managed to stop and shoot it. The Midway Restaurant in Random Lake, Wisconsin ("Random Lake? Somewhere over there" as I like to joke every time we go). It's a nice little diner, and does a good trade because of Road America race track, in nearby Elkhart Lake.
I've been traveling past this sign for years and years now, but this is the first time I've managed to stop and shoot it. The Midway Restaurant in Random Lake, Wisconsin ("Random Lake? Somewhere over there" as I like to joke every time we go). It's a nice little diner, and does a good trade because of Road America race track, in nearby Elkhart Lake.
Friday, June 8, 2012
GE Appliances
A vintage GE neon sign, in the window of an appliance store in Morrison, Illinois. This is a classic hanging sign, and is still in great shape despite years of being out in the weather.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Robert's Western World
Happy Neon Friday! Today we have a re-imagining of an old shot of Robert's, to make it look like....er....an older shot of Robert's.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Keller's Good Food
Vintage neon restaurant sign, in tiny Genoa City, Wisconsin. I think this building has been remodeled-that flagcrete facade doesn't look as old as the neon. Either way, I'm glad that Keller's has kept their sign intact.
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