Point View Bar (Gone)
Gary, IN
Photo courtesy Michelle K.

The Point View Bar was one of those places you couldn't miss if you were driving through Gary's Miller neighborhood. Standing out in the parking lot was a great old marquee that looked like it had been welcoming customers since the middle of the last century. 06-05

Known as Dom & Pete's Point View Bar, it served the neighborhood for many years with food, drinks, and a package liquor store under the same roof. Sitting near the split of U.S. 12 and U.S. 20, it was a familiar landmark for both locals and travelers heading through northwest Indiana.

The sign was the real attraction. With its classic script lettering and stacked panels advertising "Package Liquor" and "Fine Food," it had all the character you'd hope to find along an old highway.

The Point View Bar eventually closed, and the building was remodeled for another business. Unfortunately, the vintage marquee disappeared during the transition, leaving another memorable roadside sign to live on only in photographs.

UPDATE: The Point View Bar has closed, the building has been repurposed, and the vintage roadside sign has been removed. 07-26

Bud's Bar
Schoolcraft, MI
Photo courtesy Michelle K.

The colorful neon at Bud's Bar sign is a real eye-catcher. With its colorful neon and unique design, it's gives travelers along U.S. 131 in Schoolcraft, Michigan, a reason to look twice. Its unusual design adds plenty of character to this longtime neighborhood tavern. Better yet, this old sign still gets to do its job after dark. 06-05

Bud’s has remained a local gathering place through ownership changes. The property also has an unusual attraction out back: a two-story outhouse that has inspired its share of stories. That’s certainly something you won’t find behind every roadside bar.

UPDATE: Bud’s remains open. When new owners took over in 2021, restoring the vintage neon was among their priorities. The revived sign continues lighting the way, keeping one of Schoolcraft’s distinctive tavern displays in service. It’s good to see the old neon get another round instead of being replaced. 07-26

Iggy's (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Dennis Dixson

The Iggy's sign was impossible to miss. Topped with a giant neon martini glass, it stood out along Milwaukee Avenue and became one of Chicago's most recognizable late-night landmarks. 10-05

During the 1990s and early 2000s, Iggy's was the place to end the night. It stayed open long after most other bars had called it quits, serving food, cocktails, and an impressive list of martinis to a steady crowd of night owls. If you were out late in Chicago, chances are you eventually found yourself at Iggy's.

The original location later closed, and the business briefly lived on at a couple of other locations before disappearing altogether. Unfortunately, the original building was demolished, and the giant martini glass that once welcomed customers is gone as well.

It's another great example of how a unique sign can become just as memorable as the business itself. Thankfully, photos like this keep places like Iggy's from fading away completely.

UPDATE: The original Iggy's building has been demolished, the famous martini glass sign is gone, and all later Iggy's locations have since closed. 07-26

Encore Lounge (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Dennis Dixson

The oversized neon martini glass at Encore Lounge brought a little extra glow to Chicago’s Randolph Street. Hanging above the sidewalk, it advertised cocktails with very little explanation needed. This was one sign that looked right at home in the theater district after dark. 10-05

Encore welcomed the downtown lunch crowd during the day and theatergoers before and after performances. As evening arrived, the cocktail lounge became a gathering place for drinks and conversation. Outside, the giant glass gave passing visitors an easy landmark to remember.

UPDATE: Encore Lounge has closed, and its neon martini glass has been removed. The display no longer lights the sidewalk, but photographs preserve its theatrical welcome. For sign enthusiasts, it was a performance worth catching even without a ticket to a show. 07-26

Heart of the North Bar
Mercer, WI
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The bright colors and neon at Heart of the North Bar & Grill make this Mercer, Wisconsin, stop easy to recognize. The sign catches your attention from several directions, giving the tavern a welcome bit of roadside flair. It’s especially inviting when the lights come on. 03-06

A town fixture for more than 60 years, Heart of the North has welcomed locals and travelers stopping for food and drinks. Nearby snowmobile and ATV trails bring another crowd, with outdoor enthusiasts gathering after a day exploring the Northwoods.

UPDATE: Heart of the North remains open, and its restored vintage neon continues lighting downtown Mercer. The colorful marquee survives as both an advertisement and a familiar landmark. It’s good to see another Wisconsin tavern keeping the sign that helped make it recognizable in the first place. 07-26

Kleptz Bar (Rem.)
Seelyville, IN
Photo courtesy Rick McOmber

The old sign at Kleptz Bar welcomed travelers along U.S. 40 in Seelyville for decades. It suited a business with deep National Road roots, giving passing motorists another reason to watch the roadside instead of rushing through town. 06-06

Established in 1914, Kleptz began as a butcher shop and general store before becoming a tavern and later a full-service restaurant. Local stories connect it with speakeasy activity and moonshine during Prohibition. Another recollection from the Kleptz sisters’ ownership describes a time when women weren’t permitted to sit at the bar.

UPDATE: Kleptz Restaurant remains open following an extensive building restoration completed in 2025. The familiar roadside sign appears to have been removed, although the historic business continues. More than a century after its beginnings, the building still offers travelers a stop along the National Road. 07-26

Brass Rail
Port Huron, MI
Photo courtesy Rick McOmber

The plain “BAR” sign at Brass Rail in Port Huron, Michigan, gets straight to the point. It’s an unpretentious welcome to a tavern with considerably more history inside than the simple lettering suggests. Sometimes you don’t need a fancy marquee to make a lasting impression. 10-06

Helen David founded the Brass Rail in 1937 and ran it for nearly 70 years. Its mahogany back bar, stained glass, vintage lighting, and booths give the interior plenty to admire. Holiday Tom & Jerry cocktails have also been part of the tradition since the late 1930s.

UPDATE: Brass Rail reopened under new ownership in 2026 following careful restoration. The historic interior and simple exterior signs survive, keeping much of the tavern’s familiar appearance intact. It’s another welcome chapter for a Port Huron institution. 07-26