Riegel's Glass (Gone)
Elwood, IN Photo courtesy Alan Culley
Riegel's Glass was one of those small-town businesses that had a sign you couldn't help but notice. The neon and the slogan, "If it's glass we have it," made it a memorable stop along State Road 28 in Elwood. 07-07
For more than 40 years, the family-owned shop served the community with everything from residential glass to auto glass, and at one time even operated as a glass and muffler shop. Like many longtime local businesses, it became a familiar landmark for generations of area residents.
Today, the glass shop is gone and the building has been repurposed for other businesses. The neon sign disappeared along with it, leaving behind only photos and memories of another classic roadside business.
UPDATE: Riegel's Glass has closed, the neon sign has been removed, and the property has been repurposed. 07-26
Shoe Sign (Gone)
Fort Wayne, IN Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The neon shoe at Shoe of a Different Color was hard to miss while driving down Crescent Avenue in Fort Wayne. The glowing outline of a shoe was a perfect match for the store's name and gave the business plenty of personality. 07-07
The shop specialized in custom-dyed shoes and footwear for weddings, proms, and other special occasions. If you needed shoes to match a particular outfit, this was the place to go.
Unfortunately, both the business and its colorful neon sign are gone. The storefront has since been repurposed for another business, making the quirky shoe sign just another memory from Fort Wayne's roadside past.
UPDATE: Shoe of a Different Color has closed, the neon shoe sign has been removed, and the building is now home to a different business. 07-26
New Jackson Hotel (Rem.)
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The neon lettering graces the sign at the New Jackson Hotel in Chicago, IL. 07-07
Built in 1878, the hotel spent much of its life as a single-room occupancy hotel, providing affordable housing for generations of residents. It also sat along the original alignment of historic Route 66 as it made its way through Chicago, making the sign a memorable sight for countless travelers.
Like much of the surrounding neighborhood, the building eventually changed with the times. It was renovated into apartments with retail space on the ground floor, and the old vertical neon disappeared during the transformation.
UPDATE: The New Jackson Hotel building still stands, but the classic vertical neon sign has been removed and the property has been converted to apartments. 07-26
Marsh Foodliner Supermarket (Gone)
Warsaw, IN Photo courtesy Ross Trimboli
This Marsh Foodliner sign is one of those grocery store marquees that is impossible to ignore. Even if you weren't stopping to buy groceries, the colorful neon and sweeping arrow makes you look twice. Many thanks to Ross Trimboli for info. 10-07
Although it stood in front of the Marsh store on South Buffalo Street, the sign was actually much older than the building itself. Dating back to the 1950s, it originally welcomed shoppers at an earlier Marsh location before being moved when the new supermarket opened in 1992. Instead of replacing it with something modern, the old sign was brought along for the ride.
That decision turned out to be a good one. While countless supermarket signs disappeared over the years, this one continued to greet shoppers for another 25 years. It became one of those familiar landmarks that locals probably drove past hundreds of times without giving it much thought.
UPDATE: (Below right) Here's a close-up of the Marsh Foodliner Supermarket marquee. Many thanks to Alan Culley for update. 03-08
Marsh Foodliner marquee close-up (Gone)
Warsaw, IN Photo courtesy Alan Culley
The sign itself is a wonderful example of mid-century supermarket advertising. The bold "Foodliner" lettering, glowing neon, and sweeping arrow were designed to catch the attention of passing motorists. Grocery stores once competed for attention just like diners, motels, and drive-ins, and signs like this helped give each store its own personality.
The "Foodliner" name also dates the sign to an earlier chapter in Marsh history. Before the company became known simply as Marsh Supermarkets, many locations proudly carried the Foodliner name, making this sign a surviving reminder of the chain's early years.
For many Indiana families, Marsh was simply where you bought groceries. Weekly shopping trips, holiday meals, birthday cakes, and last-minute runs for milk all started under signs like this one. While every town had its own Marsh, few were lucky enough to keep such a classic sign standing for so long.
Marsh Foodliner Supermarket (Gone)
Warsaw, IN Photos and info courtesy Ross Trimboli
When the Warsaw store closed in 2017, the sign came down as well. Fortunately, it wasn't headed for the scrapyard. It was rescued and moved to the Yorktown Historical Alliance & Museum, where it has been restored and preserved.
The grocery store building had a different fate. After sitting vacant for several years, it was sold for redevelopment and is being transformed into an antique and artisan mall, giving the property a new purpose while the famous sign continues its own second life elsewhere.
It's always nice to see a piece of roadside history survive. Grocery store signs rarely receive the same attention as old motel or restaurant signs, but they deserve it just as much. After all, they were part of everyday life for millions of people.
UPDATE: The Marsh Foodliner sign now has a permanent home at the Yorktown Historical Alliance & Museum, while the former Warsaw Marsh building is being redeveloped into an antique mall. 07-26
Eckman Motors (Gone)
Warren, IN Photo courtesy Alan Culley
This Pontiac Buick Car Dealer was on IN 218 at the south end of the business district. It is no longer in business and part of the building is occupied by a pizza place. Many thanks to Alan Culley for info. Many thanks to Alan Culley for info. 11-07
For years, Eckman Motors was the place to shop for a new Pontiac or Buick in Warren. Located along State Road 218 at the south end of the downtown business district, it was the kind of hometown dealership where buying a car meant doing business with people you knew.
Like many small-town dealerships, Eckman Motors featured a showroom up front with the service garage in back. The Pontiac and Buick signs out front let everyone know exactly what was being sold, and they became a familiar sight for anyone passing through town.
As the years went by, the dealership closed and the signs disappeared. Rather than sitting vacant, the front of the building found a new life as an East of Chicago Pizza, while portions of the original dealership still remain behind it.
It's always interesting to see old dealerships repurposed instead of demolished. Once you know what the building used to be, it's easy to picture shiny new Pontiacs and Buicks sitting where pizza is now served.
Eckman Motors former dealership (Gone)
Warren, IN Photo courtesy Alan Culley
UPDATE: Eckman Motors is long gone, and the dealership signs have been removed. Part of the former showroom is now home to an East of Chicago Pizza. 07-26
Riegel's Glass (Gone)
Shoe Sign (Gone)
Marsh Foodliner Supermarket (Gone)
Marsh Foodliner marquee close-up (Gone)
Marsh Foodliner Supermarket (Gone)
