email: roadarch@outlook.com

Memphis Signs (page 1)

(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)

Welcome Sign
Memphis, TN		 Schwab's Dry Goods Store
Memphis, TN		 Little Tea Shop
Memphis, TN
This Welcome Sign is on Route 51 coming into Memphis from Mississippi. I believe the record-shaped, modern sign was built by a movie company. Memphis claims to be the "Home of the Blues" and the "Birthplace of Rock-and-Roll". [map]

Schwab's Dry Goods Store opened in 1876 making it the longest operating business on Beale St. This sign, or the original version of it, has been there since at least 1939. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The Little Tea Shop opened in 1918. This sign is probably from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

Advance
Rubber Stamp Works
Memphis, TN		 Krosstown Kleaners
Memphis, TN		 Roman Palace
Memphis, TN
The Advance Rubber Stamp Works opened here in 1947. This sign may be from then. It was built by the General Outdoor Advertising Company. The company is gone but this sign remains. For more, see this website. [map]

Krosstown Kleaners opened in 1944 and this sign may be from then. The store closed around 2014 but the sign remains. For more, see this website. [map]

The Roman Palace hair salon sign might be from the 1960s. [map]

i-Bank
Memphis, TN		 i-Bank Tower
Memphis, TN		 former Union Planters Bank
Memphis, TN
The first i-Bank sign shown above is installed on top of the White Station Tower office building which was built in 1965. The original sign advertised for the UP (Union Planters) Bank. The i-Bank (Independent Bank) sign was installed in 2006. The round structure just below the sign was originally a revolving restaurant. It is now just stationary office space. [map]

The i-Bank Tower was built from 1972-1973 for the National Bank of Commerce (NBC). The i-Bank sign was added in 2012. The building is also known as One Commerce Square. [map]

The former Union Planters Bank built from 1963-1965. The building is also known as One Hundred North Main. The UP sign above the former revolving restaurant was removed in 2005 when Regions Bank acquired Union Planters Bank. The sign was never replaced. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Walker Radiator Works [gone]
Memphis, TN
2011: 2019:
Walker Radiator Works was established here in 1932. This neon sign was built in 1952. It is 11 feet tall and features an animated neon drip. It has always been a painted sign rather than porcelain enamel. In 2021, the business closed and the sign was removed. The family has the sign in storage for now. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.

Central Avenue Liquor (now Central Exchange)
Memphis, TN
2007: 2019:
Central Avenue Liquor featured this revolving sign. It was probably built in the 1960s. By 2011, the "7" on top of the sign had been removed and the rest of the sign was painted white. The liquor store building had been demolished and the rooftop sign was gone. In 2012, the sign was adapted for Central Exchange. For more, see this website. [map]

Highland
Park Liquors
Memphis, TN		 Enterprise
Memphis, TN		 Brown Jug Liquors
Memphis, TN
The Highland Park Liquors sign and the Enterprise Rent-a-Car sign have the same design as the one used for Central Avenue Liquor shown above. This must have been a small chain of liquor stores or, at least, the signs were built by the same sign shop. The clocks must have revolved originally. The Highland Park sign is now missing its text panels. [map]

This Enterprise Rent-a-Car sign must have been built for a liquor store originally. Papa Joe's Liquors was here before Enterprise which has been here since at least 2007. [map]

The Brown Jug Liquors sign is probably from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

Bryant's Liquor
Memphis, TN		 Jack's Package Store
Memphis, TN		 Nite-N-Day Food Mart
Memphis, TN
The bottle on top of the Bryant's Liquor store sign probably revolved originally. The bottle is probably from the 1960s. The glass below it might be earlier. By 2023, the glass was missing its panels. [map]

The neon arrow on Jack's Package Store probably flashed. The sign is probably from the 1960s. The same style bottle appeared at the B&B Discount Liquor sign in Memphis. [map]

The Nite-N-Day Food Mart sign is probably from the 1960s or 1970s. [map]

Madison Tobacco [gone]
Memphis, TN		 Fox Plaza Tire & Auto Services
Memphis, TN
Madison Tobacco closed around 2021 and this sign was removed.

The Fox Plaza Tire & Auto Services sign appears to be modern. [map]

Leonard's Pit Barbecue
Memphis, TN		 Park Cosmorama
Memphis, TN		 Corky's
Memphis, TN
Leonard's Pit Barbecue was established in 1922, making it the oldest barbecue restaurant in Memphis. In 1932, they moved to a different Memphis location. By the 1940s and 1950s, Leonard's was the world's largest barbecue drive-in restaurant. In 1987, Leonard's moved to their current location and brought along their neon sign. It was restored in 1991. The animated sign features a strutting pig that twirls a cane. There is another sign like this one inside the restaurant. In 2024, the restaurant moved to a new strip mall location and left the exterior sign behind. I don't know if they still display the interior sign. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The Park Cosmorama sign was built in 2001 when this strip mall was upgraded to a retro look. For more, see this website. [map]

This is Corky's opened in 1984 as the company's first location. This sign must be from then. For more, see this website. [map]

Arcade Restaurant
Memphis, TN
The Arcade Restaurant has been in continuous operation since 1919. The signs are from the 1940s and 1950s. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Memphis
(page 2)		 Tennessee
(page 1)		 Tennessee
(page 2)		 Tennessee
(page 3)		 Tennessee
(page 4)		 Nashville

Main Signs Page