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Michigan Signs (page 5)

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Niles:
Masonic Temple
Packard [gone]
Shula's 31 Bowl

Robert Hall
Clothes [gone]
Norton Shores, MI		 former Schmidt's Grocery
Okemos, MI		 Blue Slipper Tavern
Onekama, MI
This Robert Hall Clothes store had been closed for many years when this photo was taken in 2011. The company went bankrupt and had closed all its locations by 1977. By 2013, the neon had been removed and the sign's panels had been painted white. By 2017, the sign had been painted black and was advertising for the New Life Community Church. For more, see this website. [map]

Schmidt's Super Market was built in 1958. This sign was installed then. The supermarket closed in the late 1980s. Soon after that, a Barnes & Noble bookstore moved into the building. The sign was repainted and the groceries in the shopping cart were replaced with books. In 2002, Playmakers, an athletic shoe store, moved into the building. The shopping cart still holds books. The sign was originally lit with red neon. It is now lit with green, white, and orange neon. The wheels and woman's legs continue to be lit sequentially to convey rolling and walking action. The sign is about eight feet tall. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. [map]

The Blue Slipper Tavern became a cafe later and added the secondary sign. It is now known as the Blue Slipper Bistro. The sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. [map]

Novi:
Fair Lane Motel

Oak Park:
Arnold Cleaners

Paw Paw:
Oasis Liquor

Harding's Market
Plainwell, MI		 Fitness Things [gone]
Plymouth, MI
The Harding's Market chain was established in 1944 in Parchment, MI. There are now 29 locations in Southwest Michigan. This store moved to a different spot in town around 2008. However, this sign remained at the original location at least until 2015. By 2016, the sign was either moved or, more likely, a replica was built and installed at the new location. [map]

This Fitness Things sign appeared to be modern. It doubled as a mailbox holder. By 2014, the sign had been repainted. By 2018, it was gone.

Petoskey:
Reid's Furniture [map]

More Plymouth:
Box Bar [gone]

General Printing and Office Supply [gone]
Pontiac, MI		 Pontiac Paint Co.
Pontiac, MI
General Printing and Office Supply was gone but this sign remained when this photo was taken in 2011. It was probably built in the 1930s or 1940s. The sign was gone by 2016.

The Pontiac Paint Co. opened in 1946. These signs are probably from then. For more, see this website. [map]

More Pontiac:
McGuire's Motel [gone]

Brass Rail
Port Huron, MI
The Brass Rail opened in 1937 and these signs may be from then. The top sign has been repainted and the neon removed. The letters are now backlit plastic. The bottom sign's neon remains. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Palms Krystal Bar & Grill
Port Huron, MI		 Jack's Restaurant
Rapid River, MI
The Palms Krystal Bar & Grill claims that it opened in 1936. I suspect that somewhere along the line, the opening date got confused with the year that Chicken in the Rough fried chicken was invented. Unless the Palms opened coincidentally in 1936 and began carrying Chicken in the Rough later on. I believe the first Chicken in the Rough restaurants opened in Oklahoma. The only other neon Chicken in the Rough signs that I know of are in Oklahoma City, OK and another in a private collection in Greenville, WI. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Jack's Restaurant opened in 1943. This sign was installed in 1956. In 2016, the neon was removed and the sign was repainted. For more, see this website. [map]

More Port Huron:
American Legion

Prudenville:
Sandbar

Rapid River:
Swallow Inn

Richland Pub
Richland, MI		 Richland Village Drug
Richland, MI		 Carl's Electric [gone]
Richmond, MI
The Richland Pub opened in 1959. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Richland Village Drug has moved but this sign remains. The store below it is now Richland Village Sundries, a gift and greeting cards shop. [map]

Carl's Electric opened in 1928. The business was later known as Carl's TV and Appliance. This sign was probably from the 1940s or 1950s. By 2018, the sign was gone.

Corner Bar
Rockford, MI		 Colonial Motel
Rockford, MI
The Corner Bar sign is probably from the 1930s. The Corner Bar operated as pool hall in the early 1930s. After Prohibition, the establishment added hot dogs in order to satisfy the food requirement needed to obtain a liquor license. The sign was removed in 2017 after a fire destroyed the bar. The building was reconstructed. The bar reopened in 2018 and the sign was reinstalled. For more, see this website. [map]

The Colonial Motel sign is probably from the 1950s. The neon has been removed. [map]

Roscommon:
Tee Pee Motel & Restaurant [map]

More Roseville:
Eastgate Center [vintage; gone]
Macomb Mall
Susie Q Restaurant [map]

Saranay Motel [gone]
Royal Oak, MI		 Sign of the Beefcarver
Royal Oak, MI		 MGM Cleaners [gone]
Royal Oak, MI
The Saranay Motel opened in the late 1950s. The motel was demolished in 2019. The sign was removed in 2020. For more, see this website.

Sign of the Beefcarver was originally known as the Sign of the Beefeater. The name was changed when Beefeater Gin sued. This was the chain's first location. I'm not sure when it first opened but it has been around since at least the 1960s. At one time, there were at least eight locations in the Detroit area, four others in Chicago, and at least one in Florida. I believe this is the only restaurant left. For more, see this website. [map]

The MGM Cleaners sign appeared to be from the 1950s. This photo is from 2011. The signs were removed between 2015 and 2017. For more, see this website.

More Royal Oak:
Bowlero Lanes
Palms Motel [vintage; gone]

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