Pizza King (Rem.)
Peru, IN Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
A great place for pizza if you don't mind waiting for the business to open again. Pizza King in Peru, IN sports a terrific multicolored roadside sign that's hard to miss once the lights come on. It's a fun piece of vintage advertising and one of those signs that makes the wait seem worthwhile.
Pizza King has long been a familiar name throughout Indiana, and the Peru location has the classic neighborhood feel that has kept the chain popular for generations. While the pizza is what brings people in, the colorful sign is what catches your eye from the road. With its bright colors and distinctive shape, it's a great reminder of the days when restaurants used bold signs to stand out from the competition.
Pizza King new marquee
Peru, IN (New Location) Photo courtesy Justin Eikenberry
UPDATE: The Pizza King has moved locations in Peru and the sign has been
taken down. Pizza King is now located at 664 West Main Street and the old neon sign has been taken down and
put in storage for later restoration. See below for photos of Pizza King at its new location and the new plastic sign. Many thanks to Justin Eikenberry for update. 10-06
UPDATE: Pizza King remains open in Peru, and now features a plain sign instead of this former sign gem. 07-26
Pizza King
Peru, IN (New Location) Photo courtesy Justin Eikenberry
Pizza King interior
Peru, IN (New Location) Photo courtesy Justin Eikenberry
Jenk's Pizza
Dale, IN Photo courtesy Steve Felder
Remember the old Dog 'n' Suds root beer stand photo? Well, Jenk's Pizza has given one of those classic signs a whole new life. Instead of advertising root beer and hot dogs, the old Dog 'n' Suds marquee now points customers to pizza. Strange...but pretty interesting.
Jenk's Pizza opened in Dale, IN in 1986, and while the menu has changed, the sign still carries the unmistakable shape that Dog 'n' Suds fans recognize right away. The original graphics are gone, but the distinctive "butterfly wing" design survived, making this one of the more unusual sign reuses around.
The restaurant is known locally for its pizzas and Indiana-style strombolis, but for roadside fans, the sign is the real attraction. It's always fun to see an old roadside relic find a second life instead of ending up in a scrapyard.
UPDATE: Jenk's Pizza remains open in Dale. The repurposed Dog 'n' Suds sign still survives and continues to welcome customers. 07-26
DiCarlo's (Rem.)
Stuebenville, OH Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
DiCarlo's Pizza is a great place for pizza in the Steubenville, OH area. Not sure if this sign is the original, but the weathered look to it certainly makes it seem like it has been there for a long time. Whatever its age, it's a terrific old sign. DiCarlo's has been serving customers since 1945.
The restaurant is credited as the birthplace of Ohio Valley-style pizza, a style that's a little different from what most people expect. The crust is baked with the sauce, then the provolone cheese and pepperoni are added after the pizza comes out of the oven, letting the heat from the fresh pie soften the toppings.
UPDATE: The sign is an original and there were shoppes in Weirton, WV; Wellsburg, WV; Follansbee, WV and Wheeling, WV many of which are still around. Many thanks to Charley Keenan for update. 11-07
UPDATE: DiCarlo's remains open at various locations in Steubenville, however the vintage roadside sign appears to be gone. 07-26
Pizza Hut (Gone)
New Philadelphia, OH Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
Here's an old sign from a pizza chain that seems to have been around forever. Pizza Hut is one of those names just about everyone recognizes, but it's becoming harder to find locations that still have the original roadside signs. This one in New Philadelphia, OH was a nice survivor.
The restaurant was one of the classic freestanding Pizza Hut buildings with the familiar red roof that helped define the chain for decades. Along with the building, the original pole sign gave the property that unmistakable look that made it easy to spot from the road.
Unfortunately, like many of the older dine-in Pizza Hut locations, this one eventually closed as the company shifted away from its traditional restaurant model. The building lost its familiar branding, and the vintage roadside sign was removed as well.
It's a shame, because signs like this have become just as nostalgic as the restaurants themselves.
UPDATE: This Pizza Hut location has permanently closed. The original restaurant sign has been removed and the classic Pizza Hut appearance is gone. 07-26
Papa Milano (Demolished) 3/26
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Dennis Dixson
It's always nice to see vintage neon brought back to life. These two photos of Papa Milano show just that. The first was taken in October 2005 while the sign was dark for repairs. By March 2006, the neon was glowing once again, looking every bit as good as it had for decades. 04-06
Papa Milano had been serving Italian food at the corner of State and Oak since 1951. The cozy restaurant became a longtime Chicago favorite, known for its thin-crust pizza, baked lasagna, veal parmigiana, and other Italian classics.
The projecting neon sign was one of those neighborhood landmarks that seemed to belong exactly where it was. Seeing it repaired instead of replaced was a welcome sight and a reminder that old signs don't always have to disappear.
Unfortunately, the good news didn't last long. Papa Milano closed in 2007 after 55 years in business, and the building was demolished soon afterward. The restored neon sign was removed during demolition, and its current whereabouts are unknown.
Papa Milano (Demolished) 3/26
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Dennis Dixson
UPDATE: The neon sign for Papa Milano's Restaurant has been repaired. The first one was taken in October 2005. The recent version is from March 2006. It is always nice to see working vintage neon. Papa Milano's is located at 1 E Oak St in Chicago, IL. Many thanks to Dennis Dixson for photos and info. 04-06
UPDATE: Papa Milano closed in 2007 and the building has since been demolished. The vintage neon sign was removed, and its current location could not be confirmed. 07-26
Jenk's Pizza
DiCarlo's (Rem.)
Pizza Hut (Gone)
Papa Milano (Demolished) 3/26
Papa Milano (Demolished) 3/26
