The Museum of Neon Art last week rescued the iconic House of Spirits signs that stood in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles after a major fire closed the business. The museum, based in nearby Glendale, California, also accepted the donations of the liquor store's storybook house with the crooked chimney, white picket fence … Continue reading Museum rescues House of Spirits sign from Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles
Category: Signs
A chat with Mary Beth Babcock, owner of Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on Route 66
Last week, Tim Landes of TulsaPeople magazine sat down for a chat with Mary Beth Babcock, owner of the Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on 66 shop in Tulsa. For the uninitiated, the gift shop in a repurposed gas station at 1347 E. 11th St. (aka Route 66) not only commissioned its own Muffler Man fiberglass … Continue reading A chat with Mary Beth Babcock, owner of Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on Route 66
Vintage Firestone station in downtown Albuquerque closes
Firestone Complete Auto Care, a fixture along Route 66 in downtown Albuquerque since at least the early 1930s, closed and its classic neon sign was hauled away about a month ago. The auto-repair shop was at Seventh Street and Central Avenue (aka Route 66). Downtown Albuquerque News (subscription required) reported: In response to questions, Firestone … Continue reading Vintage Firestone station in downtown Albuquerque closes
Rialto Theatre’s exterior in South Pasadena gets an overdue face-lift
The exterior for the historic Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena, California, received its first refreshening in many years. The Friends of the Rialto group on Facebook posted these photos last week as the painting crews were taking down their scaffolding: Friends of the Rialto also wrote on this Facebook post last month about the repainting … Continue reading Rialto Theatre’s exterior in South Pasadena gets an overdue face-lift
Historic Central Camera store goes up in flames during unrest in Chicago
The historic Central Camera store along Route 66 in downtown Chicago burned Saturday night amid unrest over the death a few days ago of an African-American man in Minneapolis police custody. The store's neon sign, however, appeared to be intact. A reporter with the CBS-TV affiliate in Chicago reported the store 332 S. Wabash Ave. … Continue reading Historic Central Camera store goes up in flames during unrest in Chicago
Kingman Visitor Center lights its new but retro-looking neon sign
The Kingman Visitor Center in Kingman, Arizona, held a ceremonial lighting Wednesday evening of its new but retro-looking neon sign that stands along Route 66. A 30-minute video was broadcast on Facebook Live that evening. The countdown to the lighting begins with about four minutes left: Local resident and author Jim Hinckley posted this photo: … Continue reading Kingman Visitor Center lights its new but retro-looking neon sign
Tulsa gives on up on trying to save Brookshire Motel, will try to save sign instead
The Tulsa Route 66 Commission has given up trying to save the closed Brookshire Motel after a fire scorched it for the third time in 15 months. It instead will focus on trying to buy and preserve its neon sign. A man's body was found on the property after the latest fire last week. According … Continue reading Tulsa gives on up on trying to save Brookshire Motel, will try to save sign instead
New Route Historical 66 Village neon sign lights the sky in Tulsa
The Route 66 Historical Village in southwest Tulsa lighted its new neon sign a few days ago -- one of at least a dozen new or restored neon signs along the historic highway in that city. Tulsa-area resident Susan Yates shared this short video and another clip of the animated sign on Facebook. Here's a … Continue reading New Route Historical 66 Village neon sign lights the sky in Tulsa
Neon restorer, New Mexico Route 66 Association board member dies of COVID-19
Johnny Plath working on the motor of the rotosphere for El Comedor in Moriarty Johnny Plath, 68, a board member with the New Mexico Route 66 Association and a restorer of several historic neon signs along the route, died Friday after contracting the coronavirus. According to a news release Saturday from the association, Plath contracted … Continue reading Neon restorer, New Mexico Route 66 Association board member dies of COVID-19
Kingman Visitors Center will have lighting ceremony for its new sign on May 20
The Kingman Visitors Center in the Powerhouse Museum in Kingman, Arizona, will hold a lighting ceremony for its new neon sign on the evening of May 20. The ceremony will take place from 7 to 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed live on Facebook. The sign at 120 W. Andy Devine Ave. (aka Route 66) … Continue reading Kingman Visitors Center will have lighting ceremony for its new sign on May 20