email: roadarch@outlook.com

California Signs (page 7)

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Oasis Market, Cafe & Gas [gone]
Catheys Valley, CA
This Oasis Market, Cafe & Gas sign appeared to be a former Best Western sign. However, it seemed to be smaller and had fewer bulbs. I don't know if Best Western made different versions. The flashing mechanism on this sign worked By 2021, this sign was gone.

Masonic Lodge
Ceres, CA		 Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge [gone]
Ceres, CA
This Masonic Lodge was established in 1922. This sign may be from the 1950s. [map]

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge sign was probably from the 1950s or earlier. This photo is from 2014. By 2016, the sign was gone.

Sierra Motel
Chester, CA		 Knotbumper Restaurant [gone]
Chester, CA		 Cedar Chalet Bakery [gone]
Chester, CA
The Sierra Motel was built in 1960. This sign appears to be from then. [map]

The Knotbumper Restaurant opened in 1993 and this sign was probably from then. The restaurant closed and the sign was gone by 2023.

The Cedar Chalet Bakery opened in 1955. This sign appears to be from then. The bakery was closed but this sign remained until around 2022.

More Chester:
Timber House Lodge

Chico:
Senator Theatre

Wolfe's Market
Claremont, CA
Wolfe's Market was established in 1917. The store moved to this location in the early 1930s. This sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. [map]

Clearlake:
Jules Resort [gone]

Clearlake Oaks:
Lake Marina Motel [gone]

Owl Cafe
Cloverdale, CA
The Owl Cafe opened in the early 1930s as the Sunset Motel & Ivy Cafe. At some point, it became known as the Owl Cafe. In 1963, it became Dann's Owl Cafe. The restaurant has been closed since around 2015. These photos are from 2016. The top panel on the pole sign obviously revolved with the owner's name on one side and an owl's face on the other. By 2021, the business had become the El Milagro Mexican restaurant. The owl sign on the building is still there. The pole sign is now missing the text panels but the revolving top panels are still there. The "Owl Plaza" panel has been replaced with one reading "Cloverdale." [map]

More Cloverdale:
La Hacienda Restaurant [map]

Peacock Market
Clovis, CA		 Lil Brown Jug
Clovis, CA		 Royal Lodge Motel
Coalinga, CA
The Peacock Market sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. Around 2019, the neon was replaced with backlit plastic and LED tubing. For more, see this website. [map]

The Lil Brown Jug sign might be from the 1950s. [map]

The Royal Lodge Motel sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. For more, see this website. [map]

More Clovis:
Welcome sign

Olivet Flower Shop
Colma, CA		 Kollmann & Mason Monument Company
Colma, CA
The Olivet Flower Shop was established in 1927. This rooftop sign is probably from the 1950s. [map]

The Kollmann & Mason Monument Company was established in 1942. This sign may be from then. [map]

More Colma:
Pet's Rest

OK Used Cars [gone]
Colusa, CA		 El Troquero Pub
Commerce, CA		 Steven's Steak House
Commerce, CA
This OK Used Cars sign was installed at the used car lot of Sankey Automobile Co. It was gone by 2022. These OK signs were mass-produced for Chevrolet. There are only a handful of them still on public display. Most of these rare surviving signs are in private collections now.

The El Troquero Pub originally advertised for Magaly's Cafe. The sign was repainted and the neon was removed. For more, see this website. [map]

Steven's Steak House opened in 1955. The pole sign shown on the left is probably from then. The parking lot sign might have been built later. For more, see this website. [map]

More Colusa:
Riverside Lanes

Pioneer Broach Company
Commerce, CA		 Lady Liquor
Commerce, CA
The Pioneer Broach Company was founced in 1939. The company makes broaching machines and cutting tools. This sign is probably from the early 1960s. [map]

The Lady Liquor sign might be from the 1950s or 1960s. [map]

L&M Steel Co.
Compton, CA		 Hancock Oil
Compton, CA		 Modern Cleaners
Corning, CA
The L&M Steel Co. is closed but this rooftop sign remains. It is probably from the 1950s. [map]

This Hancock Oil sign appears to be from the 1960s. The gas station closed long ago and the oil company no longer exists. By 2021, the text panel was gone and only the rooster panel was there. The only other surviving Hancock sign that I know of is in Puyallup, WA. That one is a vertical sign. [map]

Modern Cleaners features a nice, embossed plastic sign. [map]

More Compton:
M&T Donut Shop

Duck Pond [gone]
Corona, CA		 Cupid's Burgers & Tacos [gone]
Corona, CA		 Toy Boat [gone]
Corona del Mar, CA
The Duck Pond bar is gone. Maya's Cafe was in the building when this photo was taken in 2013. By 2015, the sign was gone.

Cupid's Burgers & Tacos has been around since the 1950s. The restaurant's name was changed at some point and the sign was taken down. Around 2012, the name was changed back to Cupid's and the sign was reinstalled. The sign was painted over in 2017 and adapted for Frida's Drive-Thru. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Toy Boat toy shop was officially named "Toy Boat Toy Boat Toy Boat. It had been here since at least the 1960s. This photo was taken in 2008. In 2013, the store closed and the sign was removed.

More Corona del Mar:
Harbor Photo [gone]

Alameda Albany -
Apple Valley		 Arcadia -
Barstow		 Bakersfield Bay Point -
Beverly Hills		 Big Bear Lake -
Bridgeport		 Buellton Buena Park -
Carpinteria
Cotati -
El Centro		 El Dorado -
Escondido		 Eureka -
Garden Grove		 Fresno Gilroy -
Harbor City		 Hawthorne -
Lakeport		 Hayward &
San Leandro
Lakewood -
Live Oak		 Lodi -
Lynwood		 Long Beach Los Angeles Macdoel -
Mendota		 Merced -
Monte Rio		 Monterey Park -
Oceanside		 Oakland
Ontario -
Palo Alto		 Pasadena -
Petaluma		 Pico Rivera -
Pomona		 Porterville -
Redondo Beach		 Redwood City -
Richmond		 Rio Nido -
Roseville		 Sacramento Salida -
San Bernardino
San Bruno -
San Luis Obispo		 San Diego Area San Francisco San Jose San Mateo -
Santa Barbara		 Santa Clara -
Santa Monica		 Santa Paula -
Stanton		 Stockton
Suisun City -
Ukiah		 Upland -
Vernon		 Victorville -
Wilmington		 Woodland -
Yuba City		 Museum of
Neon Art		 Valley Relics Museum

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