Ariston Cafe
Litchfield, IL
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Ariston Cafe has been welcoming travelers since 1924, making it one of Route 66’s longest-running dining traditions. Originally opened in Carlinville, it moved to Litchfield in 1929 before settling into its current building in 1935. The classic neon signs make a fitting welcome for anyone exploring the Mother Road. 11-07

Founded by Greek immigrant Pete Adam, the restaurant combines American favorites with touches of the family’s Greek heritage, including homemade baklava. Its preserved architectural details and connection to highway travel helped earn it a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. New owners took over in 2018, continuing the restaurant’s familiar traditions.

UPDATE: The Ariston remains open and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. Its historic building and neon signs continue welcoming travelers, keeping one of Illinois’ best-known Route 66 restaurants part of the journey. 06-26

Red Cedar Inn (Rem.)
Pacific, MO
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Red Cedar Inn became a familiar Route 66 stop after opening in 1934. Built from logs cut on a nearby family farm, its rustic appearance offered travelers something different from the usual roadside restaurant. When this photo was taken, the inn had recently closed, leaving questions about the landmark’s future. 11-07

Known for fried chicken and a welcoming atmosphere, the restaurant attracted local families, highway travelers, and sports figures including Dizzy Dean and Ted Williams. It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. The vintage neon sign began as a freestanding display in the 1940s before being mounted on the front of the log building.

UPDATE: Pacific purchased the property in 2017 and converted it into the Red Cedar Inn Museum & Visitor Center. The restaurant is gone, but the building survives. Its restored neon sign is displayed indoors, preserving a colorful piece of the inn’s roadside history. 06-26

Broadway Joe's Tavern (Demolished)
Fort Wayne, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The neon arrow at Broadway Joe's Tavern pointed customers toward a longtime neighborhood gathering place on Fort Wayne’s South Broadway corridor. With its glowing lettering and animated arrow, the porcelain marquee had the kind of character that made even a modest tavern stand out after dark. It was worth a second look, whether you were stopping inside or just passing through. 12-07

Joseph “Joe” Lebrato owned the tavern for more than four decades, serving generations of regulars. After the business closed, the building remained vacant for several years before a damaging fire in 2020. The structure was eventually demolished, ending the story of another familiar neighborhood watering hole.

UPDATE: Broadway Joe’s Tavern and its building are gone. The neon sign disappeared during the property’s final years, and its whereabouts remain unknown. Photographs preserve the memory of the colorful arrow that once welcomed customers from Broadway. 06-26

North Star Bar (Gone)
Fort Wayne, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

North Star Bar was a longtime neighborhood gathering place on Fort Wayne's east side, easily recognized by the glowing neon star perched atop its classic roadside sign. The bright marquee made the tavern hard to miss, drawing the attention of motorists traveling along East State Boulevard for decades. 12-07

The North Star became a neighborhood favorite, known for its relaxed atmosphere, Friday night fish fries, and classic tavern fare. Like many of Fort Wayne's corner bars, it served as a gathering place where generations of regulars stopped in to catch up with friends and neighbors.

Eventually, the North Star closed and the building found new life as A's Pub and Grub. While the business continued under new ownership, the iconic neon sign did not. Despite efforts by some local residents to preserve it, the landmark marquee was removed, ending the run of one of East State Boulevard's most recognizable roadside signs.

UPDATE: The North Star Bar is gone, and the building now operates as A's Pub and Grub. The distinctive neon star and vintage marquee have been removed, and their whereabouts remain unknown. 06-26

State Grill
Fort Wayne, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The vintage neon sign at State Grill is one of those classic neighborhood bar signs that doesn't need a lot of flash to get your attention. The bright red lettering has been lighting up East State Boulevard for decades and remains one of Fort Wayne's surviving pieces of roadside neon. 12-07

Although the sign still reads "State Grill," the business is better known today as the State Bar. The tavern dates back to the years following the repeal of Prohibition and is believed to be the first place in Fort Wayne—and possibly all of Indiana—to serve legal beer after Prohibition ended in 1933.

State Bar has always been the kind of neighborhood place where the regulars gather for a drink and conversation. It hasn't changed much over the years, and that's part of its appeal. The old neon sign out front still gives the building plenty of character and serves as a reminder of a time when even the neighborhood tavern had a sign worth looking at.

UPDATE: State Bar remains open in Fort Wayne. The historic "State Grill" neon sign continues to survive and still lights the front of the building. 06-26

The Acme Tavern
Fort Wayne, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Acme Tavern has been a Fort Wayne neighborhood fixture since 1941. Its familiar sign, proclaiming “Where Neighbors Meet,” welcomed customers along old U.S. Route 30A for decades. The name brings to mind Wile E. Coyote’s gadgets, although this Acme specialized in food and drinks rather than questionable Road Runner traps. 12-07

The tavern earned a following for burgers, pizza, and breaded pork tenderloins, and once included a package liquor store. After closing in 2021 during the pandemic, it reopened the following year as ACME by Full Circle BBQ. New ownership brought barbecue to the menu while retaining much of the building’s familiar character and its distinctive roadside sign.

UPDATE: ACME by Full Circle BBQ continues serving customers from the historic location. The building and classic sign survive, carrying the “Where Neighbors Meet” tradition into another chapter and preserving a familiar piece of Fort Wayne’s roadside landscape. 06-26