Along a stretch of Route 66, in St. Louis, MO was Melroy’s. Once a clothing store here, which in the 1940s got this deco makeover, it was closed and abandoned for many years, before being restored and reused in 2003. Today it’s a leather and denim goods shop. I visited at night, so it’s still on my list to go back and see the Vitrolite storefront and neon during the day. It’s a spectacular yellow #neon that shines brightly on this stretch known today as The Grove; a Route 66 sign hangs on a street pole nearby. This place even has an excellent entry apron. It’s just amazing and a small pocket of that it was like traversing the Mother Road within the city! #stlouistype #stlouisneon #route66
Tip Top Tailors is a Canadian menswear chain, founded in 1909, and was once much larger than what remains of it. In Downtown Niagara Falls, Ontario, Queen Street was a once bustling shopping district, but today is empty and very quiet, a bit of a ghost town. There are some special remnants of the past, including this entry apron where Tip Top used to be. How exciting! But I wish that big neon sign was there too! #niagarafallstype
I was excited when I first heard about this wall of ghost signs in Clayton, MO (near St. Louis) that was unveiled in 2024. I knew I had to go see it. I finally went last fall, and was thankful it was still there. A truck had crashed into the building that covered it, and it was demolished, exposing the century-old ads preserved for many decades. When a new company bought the building, their plan was to paint over these signs, they see these things as eyesores, but the community and city recently said no. They painted the rest of the building, not the ads. But in the future a new building could cover these back up again.
The main showstopper is the Wrigleys Spearmint Gum ad, which features their mascot from 100 years ago, Spearman. There’s some hard to read layers on this wall as well, but the other ad legible is the pre-Elsie, Borden’s Eagle Brand Evaporated Milk. These ads are frozen in time, a pair of advertising campaigns hidden for almost a century. Now a wonderful photo-op, but tomorrow, who knows. #ghostsign #stlouistype
Happy National Train Day! Let’s take a visit to the National Museum of Transportation outside St. Louis. I’d say their specialty is trains, although they have planes, boats, and automobiles in their collection too. This museum started in 1944, and showcases a long history of transportation. It’s worth a half of a day to experience it all, and even ride the miniature train and vintage trolley. An oldie is the Boston and Providence Rail Road car from the 1830’s. It’s the oldest passenger car in existence, and is in great condition.
But the collection goes through history, through the railroad’s golden ages, and even a taste of the future we haven’t seen yet, and probably never will. Some of the best trains aren’t shown, you might say, they’re worth their own future posts. But you do get a glimpse of the Big Boy towering next to a trolley. Enjoy these, but it’s more than worth a visit to this place! #nationaltrainday
Back to the moon! In a rocket built in New Orleans, so here is one of the many crescent moon #neon signs of the Crescent City. You’ll know you’re at Blue Nile just by the blue lights on Frenchmen Street at night, where you won’t even notice the psychedelic colors of the sign. #nolatype #nolaneon
One of the big news stories this week is that the iconic NYC Theatre District restaurant, Sardi’s was sold. It’s been around for 99 years, and its caricatures that line the walls are so famous. The Shubert Organization, which already owns the building and much of the block now owns the restaurant. It will stay open under the current management until June, where it will be renovated. They said things like ventilation and plumbing will be fixed, and the name, artwork, and everything else will be back later this year when it reopens. The employees may have an opportunity to apply to work there again, but the menu might change. I’m sure the big #neon sign will stay too, right? It’s Times Square after all! #nyctype #nyneon
I had to ask myself what today was, because this one seems like a bad April Fools joke. Ted’s Frostop has been in New Orleans since 1955, and for the most part, a visit today is not too much different. But that is about to end. As released today in Tulane University’s news, they plan to construct student housing here that will open in Fall of 2027. They will bring back the famous root beer and burger shack in the new building, and will keep the iconic mid-century signs. While to some it will seem as a nice thing that it will still be around, including the signs, it’s the building that makes all the difference, the environment, the nostalgia. This is a shame, and a sad one, especially from a university with a well known historic preservation program, in one of the country’s most historically preserved cities. Can this be stopped? #nolatype #nolaneon #preservenola
Hope you remembered to “spring ahead” and change your clocks this morning! Here’s a #neon sign with a clock, from Adler Frames in St. Louis. While the business is no longer here, the sign still hangs on this building that had been converted to lofts 20 years ago. #stlouistype #stlouisneon
Tropicana Lanes has been around since 1960 in Richmond Heights, near St. Louis, MO. That huge Googie style neon sign stands tall on Clayton Road, with the striking mid century modern building back a little further. The shapes and wings, arrows and breeze blocks, the #neon and that giant #bowling pin. So playful and fun, especially with the big #googie style font and triple stroke neon tubes. This spectacular sign points to the largest bowling center in the state, and what a sight it is! #stlouistype #stlouisneon
Up in Canada, the Patrician Grill is closing after 73 years. The owners of this Toronto diner are retiring after having taken over since the 2000s. I didn’t eat here, (I ate breakfast at another diner), but I did manage to get some photos when I was in Toronto a few years ago. Their #neon sign is a good one, boasting their “good food” which is also very affordable. For the Americans, that $10.35 special costs less in USD so it’s totally worth adding the peameal bacon, which is one of my favorite meats for breakfast, only found up north. The real Canadian bacon! #torontotype #torontoneon
Happy National Pizza Day! We visit St. Louis this time for their unique style of pie. Imo’s was created in 1964 when there was a demand for pizza delivery, something that didn’t exist there at the time. This giant #neon pizza guy towers over Imo’s headquarters and one of their pizzerias in Downtown St. Louis. He was made in 1987, but was moved from another location to here. They are famous for the local style of pizza that uses provel cheese instead of mozzarella. It’s a mixture of provolone, swiss, and cheddar. And they make thin crispier pies cut into squares. It’s actually quite good! #stouistype #stlouisneon #nationalpizzaday
I keep hearing about buffalo wings today, so here’s Shea’s Buffalo Theatre on Main Street in Buffalo, NY. It’s 100 years old this year, opening on January 16, 1926. The 4,000 seat theater was nicknamed the Wonder Theater, having a rare (and still working) Wurlitzer Organ actually made nearby in North Tonawanda. The interior was designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, and most of the fixtures are still there today. This theatre was the first of the chain of Shea’s which later became owned by Loew’s in 1948. The theatre closed in 1975, but was saved and restored over decades by volunteers. Today it’s a performing arts venue, and looks almost as good as it did a century ago. #buffalotype #cinematreasures
