Balyeat's Coffee Shop (Gone)
Van Wert, OH Photo courtesy Alan Culley
Here's another great neon sign from downtown Van Wert, Ohio. Balyeat's Coffee Shop had been a local favorite since 1924, and its bright red neon made it one of the most recognizable signs in town. I especially like the "Young Fried Chicken Day and Night" lettering glowing across the bottom. 02-09
Located along the historic Lincoln Highway, Balyeat's welcomed both locals and cross-country travelers for generations with home-style cooking, fresh pies, and hearty comfort food. It was also home to the first neon sign ever installed in Van Wert, making it an important piece of the city's history as well as one of its best-known landmarks.
One of the more interesting stories about the sign came in the 1970s, when the city encouraged the owner to replace it because it looked old-fashioned. Fortunately, he couldn't afford a new sign, so the original stayed right where it was. Sometimes that's all it takes to save a piece of roadside history.
Although the coffee shop eventually closed, the building found new life as 133 Bistro. Best of all, the famous neon sign still hangs outside, continuing to light up downtown just as it has for decades.
UPDATE: Balyeat's Coffee Shop is gone, and the building now operates as 133 Bistro. The historic neon sign still survives on the building, preserving one of Van Wert's best-known downtown landmarks. 06-26
Texas Corral
Highland, IN Photos and info courtesy Kevin Heggi
If you're driving down Indianapolis Boulevard after dark, it's hard to miss Texas Corral. Between the brightly lit building and the huge neon roadside sign, this place practically glows against the night sky. It's one of those restaurants that's just as fun to photograph as it is to stop and eat at. 10-08
The Highland location is one of the flagship restaurants in the regional Texas Corral chain and has become a familiar landmark along this busy commercial strip. The Western theme carries throughout the property, but it's the neon that steals the show. The colorful pole sign and glowing trim around the building make it one of the more eye-catching modern roadside restaurants in northwest Indiana.
Inside you'll find a menu centered around steaks, ribs, burgers, chicken, and other hearty favorites, along with a full-service saloon. While the food brings people in, the exterior is what caught my attention. It's nice to see a newer business embrace neon at a time when so many restaurants have switched to plain backlit signs.
UPDATE: Texas Corral remains open in Highland. The restaurant and its colorful neon sign continue to light up Indianapolis Boulevard each evening. 06-26
Abbott's Restaurant (Gone)
Hobart, IN Photo and info courtesy Kevin Heggi
Downtown Hobart once had a great old sign at Abbott's Restaurant, complete with neon and chase lights. Unfortunately, the sign was no longer working when it caught the wrong kind of attention. After it was declared an eyesore and ordered removed, a local person stepped in and offered to take it down for free just to keep it from being lost. 10-08
Abbott's was located on Main Street in Hobart, and while details on the restaurant's early history are limited, the sign clearly had the kind of personality that made you want to stop and take a closer look. Even when dark, a good old marquee still has presence.
The building survives today, though Abbott's is gone. The space later became Cafe 339, keeping the storefront active while the old restaurant name faded from the block.
The best part of the story is that the sign apparently survived. It was removed from the building and placed in private storage, safe from the scrap pile. Its exact location isn't publicly known, but sometimes hidden away is better than gone for good.
UPDATE: Abbott's Restaurant is closed, and the building now houses Cafe 339. The vintage neon-and-chase-light sign was removed from the building but was reportedly saved and placed in private storage. 06-26
Palm's Krystal Bar and Restaurant
Port Huron, MI Photo courtesy Alan Culley
Port Huron, MI is home to this local favorite. Featuring the famous "chicken in the rough", the Palm's Krystal Bar and Restaurant is known for its great chicken and atmosphere. 11-08
If you're passing through Port Huron and have a craving for fried chicken, Palms Krystal Bar and Restaurant is well worth a stop. Open since 1936, this longtime local favorite is famous for its "Chicken in the Rough," a meal that's become just as much a part of the restaurant's identity as the building itself. 11-08
The signature platter features a half fried chicken served with shoestring potatoes, a hot biscuit, and honey. It's a recipe that's been drawing customers here for generations and is one of the last places in the country still serving the original Chicken in the Rough meal.
Step inside and you'll find a place that hasn't forgotten its past. The vintage bar, retro décor, and glowing Chicken in the Rough neon clock all help create an atmosphere that's every bit as memorable as the food. It's the kind of restaurant where you can imagine generations of families sitting down for the same meal over the years.
One reason the chicken has remained so popular is the consistency. Much of that reputation was built by longtime cook Hattie Dunlap, who prepared the restaurant's famous fried chicken for 35 years. Even after changes in ownership, the menu, recipes, and classic interior have been carefully preserved.
UPDATE: Palms Krystal Bar & Grill remains open and continues serving its famous Chicken in the Rough in the same historic building. The vintage atmosphere and classic signage both survive. 06-26
Elco Tap (Gone)
Fort Wayne, IN Photo and info courtesy Alan Culley
Back in 2008, Elco Tap was already closed and sitting up for sale. Looking across the street, it wasn't hard to see part of the reason why. The large factory that had supplied so many of the bar's customers had also shut down, leaving plenty of empty stools inside. 12-08
Elco Tap opened in 1952 and spent decades serving the workers from the surrounding industrial plants. It was the kind of neighborhood tavern where people gathered after their shift for a cold drink, good conversation, and familiar faces. As long as the factories were busy, so was Elco Tap.
When those jobs disappeared, the bar's customer base disappeared with them. Combined with the economic downturn and changing regulations, it became too much to overcome, and Elco Tap closed after more than 50 years in business.
The building still stands today, but it has taken on a new life as a restaurant. The old tavern signs are gone, and there's little left to remind visitors of the blue-collar neighborhood bar that once occupied the corner.
UPDATE: Elco Tap permanently closed around 2008. The building survives and has been repurposed as a restaurant, but the original tavern signage has been removed. 06-26
Uptown Cafe
Noblesville, IN Photo and info courtesy Alan Culley
Here's another great neon sign from downtown Noblesville. Uptown Cafe has been serving customers on the town square for decades, and its glowing marquee is a perfect fit for the historic storefront. 12-08
The cafe has been a fixture in downtown Noblesville since 1932 and still has the feel of a classic hometown diner. Inside you'll find a traditional lunch counter, booths, and an open kitchen that lets you watch breakfast being cooked while you wait.
Breakfast is what brings most people through the door, with giant cinnamon rolls, homemade corned beef hash, and other scratch-made favorites earning the cafe a loyal following. Although the business has expanded to additional locations over the years, the original Noblesville restaurant still has the charm that made it popular in the first place.
The vintage neon sign is the icing on the cake. It adds plenty of character to the downtown square and is another reminder of when every restaurant tried to stand out with a little colorful advertising.
UPDATE: Uptown Cafe remains open in downtown Noblesville and continues serving breakfast and lunch from its longtime location. The classic neon sign still survives and lights up Conner Street. 06-26
Texas Corral
Inside you'll find a menu centered around steaks, ribs, burgers, chicken, and other hearty favorites, along with a full-service saloon. While the food brings people in, the exterior is what caught my attention. It's nice to see a newer business embrace neon at a time when so many restaurants have switched to plain backlit signs.
Abbott's Restaurant (Gone)
Uptown Cafe
