Buick
IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

This vintage Buick sign recalls the brand’s reputation for comfort, refined styling and a little extra prestige. Its distinctive lettering gave motorists a recognizable landmark before they reached the showroom.

As small dealerships gave way to larger auto centers, many older marquees disappeared. Survivors like this preserve some of the individual character that once lined commercial streets.

UPDATE: This sign’s exact location and current status remain unconfirmed. 06-26

Hainen Buick (Gone)
Tipton, MO
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

The vintage script atop Hainen Buick in Tipton offered a classy introduction to the showroom. Signs like this became familiar landmarks at small-town dealerships, welcoming generations of local car buyers.

The elegant lettering suited Buick’s upscale image. Even without studying the cars, motorists could recognize the brand from the road.

UPDATE: Hainen Buick appears to have closed. The dealership and its familiar sign are no longer part of Tipton’s automotive scene. 06-26

Abbott Auto Parks Co.
Columbus, OH
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

The Abbott Auto Parks Co. sign in Columbus looks like it's about to be overgrown by brush. Weathered by time and slowly disappearing behind the surrounding vegetation, it serves as a quiet reminder of the city's automotive past.

Independent auto parts suppliers once played an essential role in keeping America's growing fleet of automobiles on the road. Before national chain stores became commonplace, neighborhood parts houses stocked everything from belts and bearings to engine components, serving local mechanics and do-it-yourself motorists alike. Their roadside signs were designed to be simple, durable, and easy to spot from the street.

Although little is known about Abbott Auto Parks Co. today, its surviving sign remains an interesting piece of commercial history. Time and nature have softened its once-prominent presence, but it continues to hint at an era when independent automotive businesses lined the streets of cities like Columbus.

UPDATE: The current status of the business is unverified. At the time this photograph was taken, the vintage sign remained standing, though it was becoming increasingly obscured by surrounding brush and vegetation. 06-26

Lombardi Buick (Gone)
Wilmington, IL
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Lombardi Chevy and Buick dealership still features an old marquee as it sits across from the Gemini Giant on Route 66. For decades, Lombardi Chevrolet-Buick was a familiar stop for motorists traveling historic Route 66 through Wilmington. The dealership occupied one of the most recognizable stretches of the Mother Road, directly across from the famous Launching Pad Drive-In and its towering Gemini Giant, creating one of the route's most memorable automotive landmarks.

The dealership's vintage marquee remains a reminder of an era when independent automobile dealers invested in distinctive roadside signs to attract passing motorists. Standing along old Route 66, the sign recalls the heyday of postwar American car culture, when Chevrolet and Buick dealerships were fixtures of small-town commercial districts and the local dealer played an important role in the community.

UPDATE: The longtime Lombardi dealership was sold to the Arnie Bauer Automotive Group in 2021 and continues to operate as a Chevrolet GMC dealership. While the business has entered a new chapter, the classic roadside was taken down sometime during the pandemic. 06-26

Coachbuilt Motors
Columbus, OH
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

The Coachbuilt Motors marquee in Columbus announces a specialty you don’t find at every neighborhood garage: Rolls-Royce.

The shop focuses on luxury British automobiles, including Rolls-Royce and Bentley maintenance, repairs and restoration. Its prominent sign hints at the uncommon cars that might be waiting inside. Quite a change from the usual roadside repair-shop advertisement.

UPDATE: Coachbuilt Motors continues operating on Hudson Street, with its distinctive marquee remaining a familiar sight for visiting automotive enthusiasts. 06-26

OK Used Cars
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The neon still outlined the lettering on this OK Used Cars sign, giving an everyday sales lot some nighttime flair.

Chevrolet introduced the program in the mid-1920s, using red OK inspection tags to reassure used-car buyers. The familiar emblem later appeared at dealerships across the country. This Illinois example recalls when the sign could attract as much attention as the cars underneath.

UPDATE: The sign’s present location and condition remain unconfirmed. Original OK Used Cars marquees are now sought-after pieces of automotive advertising. 06-26

Ford Mercury
IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

This Illinois Ford Mercury sign brings two familiar names together above the showroom. Ford offered practical transportation, while Mercury gave buyers another step up without leaving the dealership.

The prominent marquee recalls the independent dealers that once lined downtown streets and commercial highways. Long before shopping online, a recognizable sign helped start the search for a new car.

UPDATE: This sign’s location and current status remain unconfirmed. Mercury ended production in 2011, leaving surviving marquees as reminders of the former brand. 06-26