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Flower Signs (page 1)

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The photos on these pages have been moved here from my Signs section to accompany an article that I wrote for the Society for Commercial Archeology Journal magazine. The article covers signs with graphic depictions of flowers so other florist signs will still be found in the Signs section. The signs below are organized alphabetically by state.

Simpson's Florist
Decatur, AL
Simpson's Florist opened in 1953 and this sign was installed in 1957. The approximately 12-foot-tall sign may have been built by Sims Neon Sign which is no longer in business. In 2010, just after this photo was taken, the sign was restored by J&M Signs of Decatur which has been maintaing the sign since the 1960s. After getting approval from the mayor, the company was able to remove the sign and reinstall it five weeks later when the work was done. The panels were sanded down and repainted. The neon was replaced with the original colors. The rose is lit in red, "Simpson's" in pink, and "Florist" in green. For more, see this website. [map]

Watson's Flowers [gone]
Mesa, AZ
2012:

2018:
Watson's Flowers was established in Mesa in 1927. The store moved to its current location in 1933. The 30-foot-tall pole sign was built from 1955-1956 by the Paul Millet Sign Co. for $8,000. The sign's flowers were lit in pink while the stems and leaves were lit with green neon. The "Flowers" text may have been lit in gold or white. In a 2014 windstorm, the sign was nearly destroyed. It had been installed in a planter that was frequently watered and the metal poles had rusted out over the years. Fortunately, the sign fell against the building instead of the other direction where it would have crashed to the ground. At that point, the sign was safely laid down in the parking lot. In 2019, the Mesa Preservation Foundation acquired the sign. The City of Mesa now owns it. It will be restored and displayed at The Post Neon Garden in Mesa in 2025 along with several other restored, vintage signs.

More Arizona:
Rose Bowl Motor Hotel (Phoenix) [vintage; gone]

Samuel's Florist
Burbank, CA (now Glendale, CA)
2013 and 2015: 2018:
2022:
Samuel's Florist was founded in 1937. The business moved to this location in 1956. The blade sign on the left is from then. The larger sign on the right is from 1959. It is 16 feet long. The signs were removed in 2017. The blade sign is in storage at the Museum of Neon Art's storage facility in Pomona, CA. That other sign and the "Drive-in" sign which was below the blade sign were restored and are now displayed at the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, CA. The word "FLORIST" below the flower originally flashed between red and white. After complaints from the city, the flashing was turned off and the red and white remained static. The "Drive-in" arrow has bulbs around the border. The bulbs were removed and the holes were covered up. The museum has taken the covering off and restored the bulbs.

Reedley Flower Shop
Reedley, CA
The Reedley Flower Shop is still in operation. It opened in 1951 and this sign appears to be from then. [map]

More California:
Lou Gentile's Flower Basket (Fresno)
Chalet Florist (Petaluma)

Washington, DC:
Dupont Flowers [gone]

Sunken Gardens
St. Petersburg, FL
2009: 2020:
The Sunken Gardens opened in 1911. In 1960, a new sign was produced by Manton Giles of Ace Neon. The 30-foot-tall sign combined neon flowers and backlit plastic letters. It was modified over the years with different flowers and other elements. In 2003, the sign was replaced using the original poles. The two text panels for "Sunken" and "Gardens" were combined into one panel and the chevron was less prominent. In 2023, the sign was demolished for a replica of the original which was created by Thomas Sign and Awning of Clearwater for $180,000. The botanical garden is located 15 feet below street level. Since 1999, it has been owned and managed by the city. This sign inspired at least two others, both gone, in Gatlinburg, TN and Fort Bragg, CA. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. [map]

La Salle Flowers
Chicago, IL		 Mike's Floral Shop [gone]
Chicago, IL
La Salle Flowers has been here since about 1936. This sign has been there since then. In 2012, the sign was moved from the side of the building to the corner to comply with city ordinances. For more, see this website. [map]

Mike's Floral Shop was also known as Mike's Flower Shop. This window "skeleton" sign appeared to be vintage. The store closed and this sign was gone by 2015.

Prost Florist [gone]
Chicago, IL
The Prost Florist opened in 1945. This sign may be from then. The sign is now at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, OH. For more, see this website.

Blossom Basket
Urbana, IL
The Blossom Basket opened in 1954 and the original version of this sign was installed then. In 2007, when an awning was added to the front of the building, the pole sign was moved to the side of the building. In 2008, the seven-foot-wide sign was replicated by the American Dowell Sign Co. in Urbana. The double-sided sign's panels were rusted and only half of the neon was lit. The new sign is single-sided since it can only be seen from one direction. The text is lit in white while the basket, its handle, and the leaf are lit in gold. The gladiola is lit with pink. The photo above is from 2024. For more, see this website. [map]

Flower Signs
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Companion Page		 Main Signs Page