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Missouri Signs (page 4)

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Steak Burger
Independence, MO		 Big Boy Burgers
Independence, MO		 Queen City
Motel [gone]
Independence, MO		 V's Italiano Ristorante
Independence, MO		 Gateway Sporting Goods
Independence, MO
This Steak Burger sign is probably from the 1950s. The panels originally advertised for Texas Tom's. In 2021, the letters were removed from the sign and replaced with plastic letters for Carmen's Cantina. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

This Big Boy Burgers has been here since 1962. For more, see this website. [map]

The Queen City Motel was originally called the Queen City Court. The text was changed accordingly on this sign which appeared to be from the 1950s. Around 2017, the sign was removed. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

V's Italiano Ristorante was established in 1963. The restaurant moved to this location in 1971. For more, see this website. [map]

Gateway Sporting Goods is gone but this sign remains. There is an antiques store in the space below the sign now. By 2019, the neon had been removed. The text on the vertical panel remains but the bottom panel was covered over with yellow paint. [map]

Milk Jug
Independence, MO		 Vickers [gone]
Independence, MO		 Great
Western Motel [gone]
Independence, MO		 Fun House Pizza
Independence, MO
The Milk Jug was a grocery store with two other locations in Independence. This sign is probably from the 1950s. I don't know if the other stores had signs like this. The building has been vacant since at least 2007. [map]

This Vickers gas station had been closed for years but the building and sign remained. Vickers Petroleum was a Kansas-based refining and marketing company. By 2019, the sign was gone. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.

This Great Western Motel sign was from the 1950s. The sign originally had a horse and cowboy with a neon lasso on the upper right. There was also a AAA logo attached to the upper left. There was also another panel below the arrow which advertised television, air conditioning, etc. The motel was demolished around 2022 and this sign is gone. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

This Fun House Pizza location opened in 1968. The circus tent part of the sign originally revolved. It no longer does. For more, see this website. [map]

More Independence:
Diamond Bowl
Fraternal Order of Eagles [gone]
Sterling Lanes
Twin Drive-in

Jefferson City:
Buescher Memorial Home
Lakeside Motel
Zesto Drive-ins [gone]

Southtown
Sporting
Goods [gone]
Joplin, MO		 Woody's
Wood-Fire Pizza
Joplin, MO		 Capri Motel [gone]
Joplin, MO
Southtown Sporting Goods had been here since 1957. This sign is probably from then and may have had neon at one time. In 2011, the sign was blown over during a tornado. The building was damaged and had to be destroyed. The sign is gone.

This Coca-Cola sign at Woody's Wood-Fire Pizza was probably a liquor store bottle sign originally. [map]

The Capri Motel opened in 1962 as a Capri Motor Hotel. The sign is about 40 feet tall. The motel was demolished in 2013. The sign was saved and disassembled. During the removal, the underlying "Hotel" panel was found underneath the "Motel" panel. The sign's new owner hopes to reinstall it at another location in town. It was still in storage in 2018.

There were other Capri Motels with the same sign in Lawton, OK; Oklahoma City, OK; and Albuquerque, NM. There may have been others. There were also at least three identical signs for Flamingo Motels in Elk City, OK, Jackson, MS, and Waco, TX. There was also a Sands Motel in Tulsa, OK, a Rio Motel in Fort Worth, TX, and a Town & Country Motor Hotel in Wichita Falls, TX with the same sign design. I'd love to know if there was a relationship between these motel chains. For more, see this website.

Wilder's Steakhouse
Joplin, MO
Wilder's Steakhouse opened in 1933. The building was renovated in 1946. These signs are believed to be from the 1950s. In 2018, the rooftop sign was restored with a grant from the National Parks Association. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Fred & Red's
Joplin, MO
Fred & Red's was established in 1923 as Fred and Grover's. The restaurant moved to this location in 1943. In 1956, it became Fred & Red's. This sign may have ben built then. The restaurant closed 2012 but reopened in 2016. [map]

More Joplin:
Junge's Bakery Products [vintage]
Rocket Motel [vintage; gone]
Tropicana Motel: 1, 2 [gone]
Watts Paint [gone]

Kennett:
Peoples Furniture Co. [gone]

GMC Trucks
Kirksville, MO		 Manyx TV & Appliance
La Belle, MO
This GMC Trucks sign is installed at Weber Motors. The signs were mass-produced in the 1940s. I only know of one other one in Nunda, NY. The signs are now being reproduced. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Manyx TV & Appliance is long gone but this RCA Victor sign remains. The store opened in 1949 as a radio repair shop. [map]

Kirkwood:
Lionel Electric Trains [gone]
Spencer's Grill

Orchid Motel
Lake Ozark, MO		 Shoreland Motel
Lake Ozark, MO		 Berry Moore
Furniture &
Appliances
Lamar, MO
The Orchid Motel sign is probably from the 1960s. [map]

The Shoreland Motel sign is probably from the 1950s. The motel has closed and there are plans to demolish it. I don't know what will happen with this sign. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The neon has been removed from the Berry Moore Furniture & Appliances sign. [map]

Lakeside:
Barefoot Traders [vintage; gone]

Crowder
Plumbing & Supply
Lebanon, MO		 Pittsburgh Paints
Lebanon, MO
Crowder Plumbing & Supply was established in 1973 and this sign might be from then. It is about 20 feet tall. [map]

These Pittsburgh Paints signs were mass-produced, probably in the 1960s and/or 1970s. This one is installed at Crow Paint and Glass. For more, see this website. [map]

More Lebanon:
Munger Moss Motel
Satellite Cafe [map]

Hartley Heart
Lee's Summit, MO
The Hartley Heart came from the Hartley Furniture store. The store opened in 1953 and closed around 2006. This part of the sign was saved, restored and installed in 2018 at its current location. [map]

Lexington:
B.P.O.E.
Red Goose Shoes [gone]

Linn
Motel [gone]
Linn, MO		 Travelier Motel [gone]
Macon, MO		 Paramount Jewelers
Maplewood, MO
The Linn Motel sign is probably from the 1950s. The sign was removed in 2019 and is now in a private collection. For more, see this website.

The Travelier Motel was built around 1950. This sign was probably from then. This photo is from 2010. By 2014, the sign had been replaced with a plastic box sign. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.

Paramount Jewelers was established in 1946. The store moved to this location in 1962 and the sign was built then. In 2021, the sign was by David Hutson of Neon Time. [map]

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