| Super Signage |
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| ILLINOIS (page 4) |
| Sim's Bowl Des Plaines, IL |
Sugar Bowl Restaurant Des Plaines, IL |
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Sim's Bowl opened in 1954 and closed in 2009. The fate of this rooftop sign is unknown. The red letters originally spelled out "16 Lanes". For more, see this website.
The Sugar Bowl restaurant has been around since 1921. This sign is from 1957. The text on the bottom part of the sign alternated between "Sweet Shop" and "Ice Cream". In 2009, the new owner wanted to alter the sign for a new business name but the City disapproved. The name was kept but the text on the lower part of the sign was changed to read Pancakes and More. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Crawford Church Shopping Center Skokie, IL |
Reliable Dinettes [gone] Elmwood Park, IL |
Horwath's Restaurant [gone] Elmwood Park, IL |
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The Crawford Church Shopping Center sign appears to be from the 1950s.
This Reliable Dinettes sign is gone now. A plastic box sign for Dinette World hangs in its place. Horwath's Restaurant opened in 1931 and was demolished in 2004. According to Horwath's management, the sign was from the late 1940s. Does anyone know what's become of the sign? |
| Clean Cars Melrose Park, IL |
Laundry World Berwyn, IL |
Rosicky's National Cleaners Berwyn, IL |
Cermak Plaza Berwyn, IL |
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I don't know the business name associated with this Clean Cars sign. I think this sign might be gone now.
I believe this Laundry World sign is a reworked Color Tile sign. The oval shaped piece on top must have revolved at one point. Now it just blows a bit in the wind. The sign is lit at night. For more, see this website. The Rosicky's National Cleaners sign appears to be from the 1950s. Cermak Plaza was built in the 1950s and was one of the first shopping centers built in the Chicago area. There are two identical bulb and neon signs like this at Cermak Plaza. In 2008, a modern version was also installed. Cermak Plaza was best known for The Spindle sculpture which was removed in 2008. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Brer Rabbit Motel Villa Park, IL |
Garden Cleaners Evergreen Park, IL |
Naples Bakery Evergreen Park, IL |
Wolf's Bakery Evergreen Park, IL |
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The Brer Rabbit Motel featured this nearly fully-functioning old neon sign. This sign was replaced with a plastic box sign around 2008. [night photo thanks Glenda Campbell]
The Garden Cleaners sign fell from its pole in 2009 and was destroyed. For more, see this website. The Naples Bakery was established in 1918. The facade and sign appear to be from the 1950s. The sign is lit at night. For more, see this website. Wolf's Bakery opened in 1935. When new owners took over in 1999, they had the sign repainted to its original colors. It is lit at night. Wolf's had another location at one time. For more, see this website. |
| Smithereen Exterminators Northlake, IL |
Smithereen Exterminators Midlothian, IL |
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| Smithereen Exterminators was founded in 1888 and now has many offices. The Northlake location has their oldest sign. It is now behind a clear plastic panel for protection. The sign is from around 1920 with neon tubing thicker than normal. There were originally four of these signs. Two were demolished to repair this one and another one that was in Evanston, IL. The modern sign on the side of the building, shown on the right above, was one of two intended for another location. They were prohibited by the mayor who didn't want large rats displayed in his community. The Midlothian location opened in 1996 so this might be a modern sign. It was also covered with plastic until recently. Both of these signs are lit at night. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. |
| Watson Motorsports Midlothian, IL |
Midlothian Music Midlothian, IL |
Crete Lanes Crete, IL |
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Supposedly, Watson Motorsports opened in 1974 but this sign sure looks older than that. Perhaps it was reworked from a previous business? This business closed in 2009 and the fate of the sign is unknown.
Midlothian Music opened here in 1960. I don't know if this sign is lit at night. The Crete Lanes sign was restored recently. The neon is lit in three-part animation. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Melrose Park Pharmacy Melrose Park, IL |
Harlo Grill Melrose Park, IL |
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The Melrose Park Pharmacy sells both liquor and drugs - quite a combination!
The Harlo Grill has been around since the late 1940s. It is open 24 hours. |
| Booby's Charcoal Rib Niles, IL |
Imperial House of Glass Blocks Niles, IL |
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Booby's Charcoal Rib opened in the 1950s. The sign's neon letters and bulbs are lit at night.
The Imperial House of Glass Blocks features this cute plastic sign and a façade display of their products. |
| Dutch Maid Cleaners Glenview, IL |
Gold Medal Cleaners Wilmette, IL |
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The Dutch Maid Cleaners looks like it was built in the 1950s. This plastic sign was probably installed at the same time.
The Gold Medal Cleaners neon sign is still lit at night. For more, see this website. |
| Pedian Rug Co. Lincolnwood, IL |
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| The Pedian Rug Co. was founded in 1906. For more, see this website. |
| Duellman's Motel Downers Grove, IL |
Tivoli Bowl Downers Grove, IL |
Willowbrook Bowl Willowbrook, IL |
Dell Rhea Chicken Basket Willowbrook, IL |
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Duellman's Motel still survives on former Route 66. For more, see this website.
The Tivoli Bowl shares a building with the Tivoli Theatre which opened in 1928. For more, see these websites: 1, 2 The lettering on the Willowbrook Bowl sign is lit at night. From the look of the neon at the top of the sign, it appears that this bowling alley was renamed at some point. Does anyone know the history of this place? The Chicken Basket history dates back to the late 1930s when it opened inside a gas station. It moved to this building in 1946. In the early 1960s, the interstate opened bypassing the restaurant and it fell on hard times. In 1963, Dell Rhea bought the restaurant and added his name to the business and sign. The top part of the sign had read "Nationally Famous". For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| Town Hall Bowl Cicero, IL |
Auto Clutch All Brake Cicero, IL |
Cindy Lyn Motel Cicero, IL |
Berwyn Eagles Berwyn, IL |
Elks Lodge Berwyn, IL |
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The Town Hall Bowl sign appears to be from the 1950s. I don't know if it is lit at night.
Auto Clutch All Brake sells wholesale truck parts/accessories and repairs truck engines. The Cindy Lyn Motel opened in 1960. For more, see this website. The Berwyn Eagles is the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. The top part of this sign may have been neon originally. This Elks Lodge sign is lit at night. For more, see this website. |
| Petey's Bungalow Lounge Oak Lawn, IL |
Hi-Way Bakery Chicago Heights, IL |
Maurie's Candies Pekin, IL |
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The Petey's Bungalow Lounge sign is lit at night. For more, see this website.
The Hi-Way Bakery gets its name from its location on the Dixie Highway. This sign is from the 1950s or earlier. Maurie's Candies is a newsstand, candy shop, and convenience store with two old signs. |
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