email: roadarch@outlook.com

Milwaukee Signs

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

Sloane's
Furniture Co.
Milwaukee, WI		 Otto's
Beverage Center
Milwaukee, WI		 Bob's Bait
Shop [gone]
Milwaukee, WI		 Chet & Leona's
Flowers
Milwaukee, WI		 Fein Brothers [gone]
Milwaukee, WI
Sloane's Furniture Co. was established around 1935. The store is still operating. In 2016, the bottom panel was covered up and the letters were filled with sloppy LED rope. The squares were also outlined with LED. [map]

Otto's Beverage Center, now known as Otto's Wine and Spirits, has been around since 1945. For more, see this website. [map]

The Bob's Bait Shop sign was built in the 1960s. The store closed in 2014 and the sign was removed in 2017.

Chet & Leona's Flowers was established in 1950. This sign is probably from then. [map]

Fein Brothers, a food service equipment supplier, was established in 1929. The store moved to this location in 1967. Apparently, this sign was adapted from the previous tenant, Merit Furniture. The letters "MERIT" would fit the spacing of the sign appropriately. In 2020, the store moved to a new location and the sign was put in storage. For more, see this website.

Grebe's Bakery
Milwaukee, WI		 General Lumber [gone]
Milwaukee, WI		 Big Bill's Used Cars
Milwaukee, WI		 Avenue
Brake Shop [gone]
Milwaukee, WI
Grebe's Bakery was established in 1937. The bakery moved to this location in 1957 and this sign is from then. [map]

There was another Grebe's Bakery in South Milwaukee with a vintage sign. That store has closed and, by 2011, the sign was covered with panels for Nona's Cafe.

General Lumber opened in 1952 and this sign was built in 1960. The store closed in 2010 but this sign still remained. In 2020, the sign was put up for sale and it was gone by 2022.

The Big Bill's Used Cars sign looks like it was adapted from a previous used car dealership. It obviously had neon originally. Does anyone know what the original name was? [map]

The Avenue Brake Shop sign appeared to be from the 1940s or 1950s. Despite the protective plastic panels, some of the neon was broken when this photo was taken in 2011. The business closed and the sign was removed around 2017. It is now in a private collection. For more, see this website.

Frank's Power Plant
Milwaukee, WI
Frank's Power Plant was established in 1925. The neon is protected with clear plastic panels. By 2021, the bar had become Patti's Power Plant. The Frank's tubing on top of the sign was replaced with a plastic panel for Patti's. For more, see this website. [map]

Judge's Irish Pub [gone]
Milwaukee, WI
Judge's Irish Pub had the same style Blatz sign as Frank's. I don't know if this one was lit but the neon appeared to be in perfect shape. These photos are from 2011. By 2016, the bar had closed and the signs were gone. There are many other Blatz sign designs on display inside Northern Advertising in Antigo, WI.

More Milwaukee:
Fairview Motors
former Gene's Nite Life Lounge
Hooligan's Super Bar
Kitt's Frozen Custard
Leon's Frozen Custard
Modern 41 Motel
National Hardware
Pabst Brewing Company
Regano's Roman Coin [map]
Rupena's Fine Foods
Three Brothers Restaurant [map]
Town Pride Frozen Custard: 1, 2, 3 [vintage; gone]
Valent's

WI (page 1) WI (page 2) WI (page 3) WI (page 4) WI (page 5) Northern
Advertising

Main Signs Page