| Super Signage |
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| MICHIGAN (page 3) |
| Weber's Inn Ann Arbor, MI |
Seyfried Jewelers Ann Arbor, MI |
Big Ten Party Store Ann Arbor, MI |
Ann Arbor Muffler Ann Arbor, MI |
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Weber's Inn was founded in 1937 and features this giant neon sign. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
Seyfried Jewelers opened in 1911. Their black glass storefront and signage looks like it was updated around the 1930s. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. The Big Ten Party Store sign is from the 1940s. The business it stands in front of is now Morgan & York, an upscale wine and cheese shop. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. Ann Arbor Muffler has been around since 1959 and has this fun muffler-shaped neon sign. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [night photo thanks Mark Comstock] It's no coincidence that the Ann Arbor Muffler and Big Ten Party Store signs are the same colors. Blue and gold are the official colors of Ann Arbor's University of Michigan sports teams. |
| Flowers by Lobb Lincoln Park, MI |
Chesterfield Motor Inn Chesterfield, MI |
Sherman Bowling Center Muskegon, MI |
Paul Bunyan Antiques Mall Baldwin, MI |
Santa Christmas, MI |
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Flowers by Lobb has been around since 1929.
The Chesterfield Motor Inn is still open for business. The Sherman Bowling Center opened around 1957 with about 28 lanes. Another 22 or so lanes were added in 1960. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. The Paul Bunyan Antiques Mall features this giant painted plywood sign. This giant double-sided Santa sign is about 35' tall. It stands next to the Santa's Workshop Gift Shop. Also in town, there is a giant Mrs. Claus sign and a giant concrete Frosty the Snowman. The Christmas Motel features a gift-shaped neon sign. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [photo thanks Mark Comstock] |
| Gibraltar Trade Center Taylor, MI |
Gibraltar Trade Center Mt. Clemens, MI |
Rolison Hardware Brighton, MI |
Smith's Motel Briggs Lake Brighton, MI |
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The Gibraltar Trade Center has huge, identical signs at both of their locations. Both signs are installed next to an interstate. The Taylor location opened in 1980 while the one in Mt. Clemens opened in 1990. For more, see their website. [second photo thanks Mark Comstock]
Rolison Hardware has been around since 1914. For more, see this website. Smith's Motel Briggs Lake features the huge sign. The motel is right next to Briggs Lake which offers swimming, fishing and boating. |
| Wooden Shoe Antique Mall Holland, MI |
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| The Wooden Shoe Antique Mall opened here in 2004. The building was originally the Wooden Shoe Factory which opened in 1957 and closed in 2000. The signs were simply adapted for the new occupants. For more, see this website. The town of Holland is quite proud of its Dutch heritage and has a Dutch theme park and tulip festival. |
| Henry's Hamburgers Benton Harbor, MI |
former Schmidt's Grocery Okemos, MI |
Stevens Grayling, MI |
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Henry's Hamburgers was part of a chain, from the 1960s I believe. This seems to be the last location left. There were others in St. Joseph, MI; Lansing, MI; Chicago, IL; Fond du Lac, WI; Miami, FL; Ames, IA; East St. Louis, IL; Richfield, MN; Crestwood, MO; Syracuse, NY; as well as others in MI, IL, WI, NY, and elsewhere. Does anyone know more about them? For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
The former Schmidt's Grocery is now Playmakers, an athletic shoe store. When the supermarket closed in the 1980s, a Barnes & Noble bookstore moved in (replacing the groceries in the sign's shopping cart with books). The neon sign is still animated: the woman's legs move and the cart's wheels spin. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. Stevens was originally a pharmacy with a soda fountain. It is now Dawson-Stevens Ice Cream Parlor with a deli and Coca-Cola memorabilia. |
| Holiday Motel [gone] Kalamazoo, MI |
Great Wall of China Restaurant Kalamazoo, MI |
Riviera Motel Grand Rapids, MI |
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The Holiday Motel sign was destroyed shortly after this photo was taken. It was replaced with a more modern sign. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
The Great Wall of China Restaurant features this big revolving sign. The Riviera Motel is on the outskirts of town and seems as if it hasn't changed for fifty years or so. For more, see this website. |
| Crystal Cleaners Grand Rapids, MI |
Clique Bowling Lanes Grand Rapids, MI |
Williams Used Cars Grand Rapids, MI |
Dick's Fine Foods Grand Rapids, MI |
Fat Boy Burgers Grand Rapids, MI |
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The Crystal Cleaners sign looks 1950s. For more, see this website.
The Clique Bowling Lanes opened in 1953. The 16 lanes were brought from the Chicago Coliseum. For more, see this website. Williams Used Cars has a neat blade sign with a crown. Dick's Fine Foods features a neat neon font style. Fat Boy Burgers features two cute, time-worn signs. This place closed in 2008 but reopened in 2009 with a new owner. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
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More Grand Rapids Signs:
4 Star Gas Burton Foodland |
| Lakeland Motel Whitehall, MI |
Castle Rock Curios St. Ignace, MI |
Jack's Restaurant Rapid River, MI |
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The Lakeland Motel sign features fun letter blocks. The motel rooms look equally vintage.
Castle Rock Curios features a hiking trail up to the top of the rock and a giant Paul Bunyan and Babe (both for a 50 cents admission price). They also have an extensive souvenir shop. The sign probably had neon lettering and graphic outlining at one point. I believe this place has been a tourist attraction since at least the early 1950s. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. Jack's Restaurant has perhaps the quintessential coffee shop sign. |
| Gust Asp Butcher Shop Escanaba, MI |
Holiday Bowl Escanaba, MI |
Bingo's Motel Wakefield, MI |
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The Gust Asp Butcher Shop neon sign cleverly alternates between "Gust Asp" (the original owner's name) and "Just Ask". For more, see this website.
The Holiday Bowl looks like it has been closed for awhile. For more, see this website. Bingo's Motel has been here since the 1950s. The complex includes the motel, a garage, and a bar. |
| Olkie's Bar Ironwood, MI |
Big John Iron Mountain, MI |
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Olkie's Bar sign could use a little paint but I believe the neon still works. The bar is just down the street from Hiawatha. For more, see this website.
Big John is a 40' tall wooden sign that stands in front of the Iron Mountain Iron Mine. The sign was built in the early 1960s and it has been repainted six or seven times since then. Around 1999, the sign was "redone" with marine plywood to prevent it from peeling. The Iron Mountain Mine offers mine tours and a gift/rock shop. For more, see these websites: 1, 2. |
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