Super Dupe (Gone)
Columbus, OH
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

Here's the unforgettable sign for Abbott's Super Duper in Columbus. Once you see an elephant balancing a bag of groceries, it's not something you're likely to forget.

The sign dates to 1955 and advertised the Super Duper supermarket chain, which once operated stores throughout Ohio and western New York. With its giant elephant, colorful neon, and playful design, it was the kind of roadside sign that made even a trip to the grocery store a little more memorable.

UPDATE: The Abbott's Super Duper store closed in 2010, but the sign remained standing for several years with the "Super Duper" panels covered by a vinyl banner advertising other businesses. The paint gradually faded and much of the neon was lost, though the elephant was still in place as late as 2015. Sometime before 2017, the elephant was removed, marking the end of what is believed to have been the last surviving Super Duper elephant sign. 06-26

Kopetsky's Car Wash
Indianapolis, IN
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

Looking for a car wash in the Indianapolis area? Check out the sign for Kopetsky's Car Wash. It's the kind of old roadside sign that catches your eye long before you reach the entrance.

The Kopetsky family has been in the car wash business since 1968, and this full-service location has become a familiar sight along 16th Street. While most modern car washes rely on generic corporate signage, Kopetsky's still features a classic mid-century marquee that gives the place plenty of personality. It's another reminder that even everyday businesses once put as much thought into their signs as the services they offered.

UPDATE: Kopetsky's Full Service Car Wash remains open and family owned, continuing a tradition that dates back to 1968. The vintage roadside sign still welcomes customers today, making it one of the few longtime independent car washes in Indianapolis that has managed to retain both its identity and its classic roadside charm. 06-26

Octopus Car Wash (Gone)
Rockford, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

Here's an Octopus Car Wash spotted in Rockford. This friendly green creature has all the tools needed to make your car nice and shiny.

If you were a kid strapped into the backseat of the family station wagon during the heyday of the American road trip, few roadside sights brought more joy than spotting "Ozzie," the smiling octopus welcoming drivers to the local car wash. Because an octopus has eight tentacles, the idea was simple: Ozzie could wash, wax, vacuum, and shine your car better than anyone else. It was one of the most memorable advertising mascots ever to grace the American roadside.

The chain began as Colonial Car Wash in Rock Island before adopting the Octopus name and expanding throughout the Midwest and beyond. By the 1960s, giant fiberglass octopus figures towered above Googie-style car washes, inviting motorists to pull in for the full-service treatment. The Rockford location became a familiar landmark along East State Street, where the smiling green mascot welcomed customers for decades. 08-17

UPDATE: The original Octopus era came to an end after the Rockford locations were sold to Mister Car Wash. By 2015, the beloved "Ozzie" mascot had been removed from the East State Street location as part of the conversion to the new corporate brand. While the car wash continues to operate today, one of the Midwest's most recognizable roadside mascots is now gone. 06-26

Octopus Car Wash (Gone)
St. Louis, MO
Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier

Here's an Octopus Car Wash spotted in Ann Arbor. Like its siblings in Rockford and Albuquerque, this friendly green octopus has all the tools needed to make your car nice and shiny.

The Octopus Car Wash chain turned a routine chore into a roadside attraction. The idea was simple: an octopus has eight tentacles, so who better to wash, wax, and polish your car? The giant smiling mascot, affectionately known as "Ozzie," became one of the most recognizable roadside advertising characters of the 1950s and '60s, welcoming motorists with a bucket, sponge, squeegee, and plenty of personality.

Like the other Octopus locations across the Midwest, the Ann Arbor car wash combined colorful Googie styling with a mascot you couldn't miss. For generations of travelers, spotting Ozzie meant it was time to pull in for a full-service wash and watch the attendants put the finishing touches on the family car.

UPDATE: The original Octopus Car Wash chain has largely faded into history after its remaining corporate locations were acquired by larger operators. The Ann Arbor location has since been converted, and the smiling octopus mascot is no longer there, leaving photographs like this to preserve one of the Midwest's most memorable roadside advertising icons. 06-26

Blue and White (Gone)
Indianapolis, IN
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

This roadside Blue and White sign still beckons to passing travelers. True to its name, the sign is also colored blue and white. Founded in 1932 by "Hap" Cloud, Blue & White grew into one of Indiana's best-known truck stop and service station chains. Long before interstate travel changed the landscape, these roadside stops offered fuel, repairs, restaurants, and a place for weary truck drivers and motorists to rest before continuing down the highway.

The sign itself is wonderfully simple but instantly recognizable. Its bold blue-and-white color scheme made it easy to spot from a distance, letting travelers know that food, fuel, and friendly service were just ahead. Sometimes the simplest signs are the ones you remember the longest.

UPDATE: The Blue & White chain eventually closed its remaining locations around 2001, bringing an end to nearly 70 years of serving Indiana motorists. While most of the stations have been repurposed or demolished, a handful of the familiar blue-and-white signs survived for years afterward as reminders of a once-iconic Hoosier roadside tradition. 06-26

Concord Car Wash (Demolished)
St. Louis, MO
Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier

St. Louis is home to the Concord Car Wash, where the marquee out front was a huge eye-catcher. Check out the way the starburst and sweeping arrow are integrated into the sign.

Opened in 1965, Concord Car Wash became one of the longest-running full-service car washes in the St. Louis area. Like many businesses of the postwar automotive boom, it relied on bold roadside architecture to attract passing motorists. The towering marquee perfectly captured the optimism of the Space Age, combining a dramatic starburst, oversized arrow, and bright neon into one unforgettable piece of Googie design. It was the kind of sign that practically guaranteed drivers would take a second look as they passed by. 08-03

UPDATE: After more than 50 years of family ownership, Concord Car Wash closed and the property was redeveloped as a modern express car wash. The vintage buildings were demolished, and the iconic starburst-and-arrow marquee was removed, bringing an end to one of St. Louis' most recognizable roadside car wash signs. 06-26

Douglas Car Wash (Demolished)
Racine, WI
Photo and info courtesy Rick McOmber

The Douglas Car Wash in Racine is a real head-turner as far as roadside marquees go. The bold colors, towering size, and dramatic starburst all combine to make this one of Wisconsin's great roadside treasures.

Operating for decades along Douglas Avenue, the car wash became a familiar neighborhood landmark and one of Racine's longest-standing full-service washes. Beyond keeping local cars sparkling clean, the business was deeply involved in the community, even sponsoring a successful softball team that competed in the city's fast-pitch and slow-pitch leagues. Its spectacular marquee perfectly captured the spirit of the Space Age, using bright colors, bold typography, and a striking neon starburst to catch the attention of passing motorists. 10-06

UPDATE: The original Douglas Car Wash eventually closed, and the property was later redeveloped as an auto dealership inventory lot. The iconic roadside marquee, complete with its colorful design and signature starburst, was dismantled during redevelopment and no longer stands along Douglas Avenue. 06-26