Vintage neon signs

[2jakes]

Wimpy food!

Yummylicious !

I used to drive a 1967 beetle convertible to work. Nice except when it rained.

Windshield wipers would work when they felt like it & top was holy!

 

[Fading Fast]

Rialto Theater, next door to Busy Bee Cafe.
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Adam's Rib movie (1949)

"Adam's Rib" and "East Side, West Side" was an outstanding '49 double bill. Both are in regular rotation on TCM and both are very entertaining movies.

Note also, "Air Conditioned" Saratoga Cafe.

Initially thought that might be a R.H. Macy & Co. on the far left, but there's no ampersand - any guesses, maybe "May Co?"

Anyone (Lizzie) know what a "Federal Credit Clothier" is? Is it some form of clothing coop / gov't supported charity?

I think Busy Bee Cafe's sign has popped up before - anyone know if it was a chain?

Love the woodie in front of the Rialto.

2Jakes, I'm sure you didn't miss the way-cool bicycles in front of the Rialto.

Is the car in the "fast" lane heading toward the bank pulling some kind of wagon behind it?

And, lastly, looks like the Rialto had some local competition from Fox.

 

[2jakes]

...2Jakes, I'm sure you didn't miss the way-cool bicycles in front of the Rialto.

Is the car in the "fast" lane heading toward the bank pulling some kind of wagon behind it?

Looks like u-haul @ $2 per day. (1940s)

1940s neon:

I know I would not be comfortable enjoying the movie if I was
to park my bike outside like that today.

 

[3fingers]

Federal Credit Clothier" is? Is it some form of clothing coop / gov't supported charity?

Not a charity and no connection to the goobermint. I don't know how many stores there were, or when they folded their tent.

 

[2jakes]

Not a charity and no connection to the goobermint. I don't know how many stores there were, or when they folded their tent.

No connection with the feds. The shop in my neck of the woods
shut down in ’57.

old newspaper ad.

 

[2jakes]

Note also, "Air Conditioned" Saratoga Cafe.
Initially thought that might be a R.H. Macy & Co. on the far left, but there's no ampersand - any guesses, maybe "May Co?"

1940s Phoenix from one end towards Fox theater.

1950s from opposite end of the street.

 

[LizzieMaine]

It was very very common starting in the 1930s for different types of retailers to have "Credit" in their name -- Credit Clothing, Credit Furniture, Credit Jewelers, Credit this and Credit that. This of course reflecting the desperation of a time when "a dollar down and a year to pay" was the way the majority of households had to operate. It also explained why collection agencies and repo men enjoyed a business boom thru the Depression era. Woe unto the poor schlemiel who bought a credit overcoat in November and fell behind on the payments in February.

My favorite operation of this time was a flyblown chain of New York optical shops called Busch Kredit Opticians, spelled with a "K" for an extra dose of their pimpin'. ("Idiocracy" reference for those keeping score at home.) They always advertised cheap eyeglasses on Easy Kredit Terms in the Daily News, right next to the ads for Fasteeth and "Middle Aged Women Heed This Timely Warning." I wouldn't have wanted to have to deal with one of their repo teams.

"Time to pay up!"

Busch's also had a subsidiary that sold cheap two-pants suits -- "Klark's Kredit Klothes." Astonishingly, their main store was up on 125th Street in the heart of Harlem.

 

[2jakes]

I'm getting hungry again!

"ALL YOUR VEGETABLES!"
Every mom at the dinner table!

 

[2jakes]

Don't see too many bank neon signs with this much color or clocks anymore!

 

[Fading Fast]

 

[Frunobulax]

Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[3fingers]

This of course reflecting the desperation of a time when "a dollar down and a year to pay" was the way the majority of households had to operate.

There were a couple of dentists who operated on this principle who advertised a lot on the radio. Dr. Cowan, the friendly credit dentist and another whose name escapes me at the moment. I have often wondered how they collected from resistant payers. I guess the threat of having your newly fixed teeth knocked out might be a motivation to make your payments.

 

[2jakes]

 

[Frunobulax]

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Upon first reading, I thought that said "Cosmic" dentistry.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[2jakes]

"Artificial Human Eyes”

 

[2jakes]

Great Gatsby (1974)

Paris

CREPERIE ?

CREPERIE

 

[2jakes]

Last time I saw this color “green” was on 1940s Ray Ban sunglasses.

 

[2jakes]

"The Cafe Mobilgas featured these two signs. The Pegasus, aka the Flying Horse, was the symbol of Mobilgas. When these photos were taken in 2006, the gas pumps had been removed and the restaurant looked like it had been closed for a long time. I believe that the Pegasus sign is gone but the text sign was still there in 2013."

 

[2jakes]

Found another neon bank sign via Google Map

First National Bank, Carlye, IL

 

[2jakes]