Indian Village Cleaners (Gone)
Grosse Point Woods, MI
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here's Indian Village Cleaners along Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan. The lettering was built into the storefront's appearance, giving the business a recognizable face without a towering roadside marquee. Sometimes a well-designed facade did all the advertising needed. 06-09

The cleaner operated at 20948 Mack Avenue, serving the surrounding neighborhoods from a busy commercial corridor. Its lettering and straightforward storefront reflected the era when independent cleaners were regular stops for shirts, suits, and alterations. The sign became part of the building rather than simply something attached above the door.

UPDATE: The address now houses H2O Dry Cleaners, continuing the property's garment-care use under another name. The old Indian Village lettering appears to have been removed, taking away the feature that made this storefront especially interesting to roadside sign fans. 07-26

Ruby Dry Cleaners (Demolished)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Tammy Terwelp

The Ruby Dry Cleaners sign gave the corner of Montrose and California avenues in Chicago a landmark worth looking up for. Its bold lettering and projecting design made the neighborhood shop noticeable well beyond the customers carrying clothes through the door. 11-09

Located at 2801 West Montrose Avenue, the cleaner became especially familiar to motorists passing Horner Park. Its blade sign earned preservation attention in 2015, when Chicago's historic neon signs were highlighted among the city's most endangered features. Unfortunately, that recognition didn't secure its place on the corner.

UPDATE: The original building was demolished in October 2024 for redevelopment. Ruby relocated nearby to 2852 West Montrose Avenue, keeping the business in the neighborhood. The old sign has been removed, and its whereabouts remain unconfirmed. Fortunately, the cleaner itself managed to make the move. 07-26

Sparkle Cleaners (Gone)
Brookfield, IL
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Check out the sweeping canopy at Sparkle Cleaners in Brookfield, Illinois. The large windows and dramatic roofline gave this neighborhood cleaner considerably more personality than the usual storefront. It was a memorable sight near the busy Eight Corners intersection. 10-13

After the cleaning business closed, the building at 9210 Broadway Avenue found another purpose. The Compassion Factory opened its art gallery here on January 5, 2018, bringing exhibitions and community activities into the former cleaner. The conversion retained much of the exterior character that first made the building worth noticing.

UPDATE: The former Sparkle Cleaners building survives as The Compassion Factory, continuing its role as an arts and community space. The original cleaner's sign is gone, but the distinctive canopy remains a welcome example of an unusual roadside building finding another useful assignment. 07-26