City Glass
Fort Wayne, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The neon sign at City Glass is hard to miss as you travel down South Calhoun Street in Fort Wayne. With its glowing letters and classic storefront, it's one of those businesses that still has plenty of old-school character. 12-07

City Glass has been serving Fort Wayne since 1944. While the company is known today for everything from custom glass and mirrors to stained glass and framing, the vintage sign remains one of its best features. The building itself also retains its attractive Vitrolite glass facade, giving the storefront an unmistakable mid-century look.

It's refreshing to see a business that has held onto its historic appearance instead of replacing it with a generic modern storefront. Signs like this help give a city its personality and are becoming harder to find every year.

UPDATE: City Glass is still in business, and its classic neon sign continues to light up South Calhoun Street. 07-26

Melco Service Center (Demolished)
Hanna, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

The Melco Service Center was located about 3 miles east of Hanna, IN and was always a conversation piece when we traveled to Chicago and back regarding how much of the sign would be lit. This was about the best I ever saw it. Melco was torn down and replaced by a larger convenience store/gas station and Arby's which is now out of business. Many thanks to Alan Culley for info. 12-07

The question was never whether the sign would be lit... it was how much of it would be lit. Every trip seemed different, with another letter or section burned out. This was about the best I ever remember seeing it.

The old service center eventually gave way to a much larger convenience store and gas station, along with an Arby's. Even the Arby's is gone now, making the Melco sign just another memory from those long highway drives.

It's funny how a half-working neon sign can become something people look forward to seeing every trip. Sometimes those little roadside traditions end up being the things you remember most.

UPDATE: The Melco Service Center was demolished years ago, and its memorable neon sign disappeared along with it. 07-26

Ancelor Mittal (Rem.)
E. Chicago, IN
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

Rising above the historic administration building, the ArcelorMittal rooftop sign was hard to miss against the industrial skyline of East Chicago. Perched high above the steel mill, it reflected more than a century of change in one of America's great steel-producing regions. 11-08

The building beneath the sign began life as the Inland Steel administration building, an impressive Art Deco structure completed in 1930. As ownership of the mill changed over the years, the familiar rooftop lettering changed with it—from Inland Steel to ArcelorMittal and, more recently, to Cleveland-Cliffs.

Even though the name on the roof has changed, the building remains one of the most recognizable landmarks within the sprawling Indiana Harbor steel works. It's a reminder of how the industry has evolved while the mill itself continues operating.

UPDATE: The administration building is still in use, but the rooftop sign no longer carries the ArcelorMittal name. Today, it reflects the site's current owner, Cleveland-Cliffs. 07-26

Welcome Sign
Highland, IN
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

There's something a little amusing about this Welcome Sign in Highland. The side that reads "Welcome to Highland" actually faces motorists as they're leaving town, making it one of those quirky roadside details that's hard not to notice. 11-08

Standing along Kennedy Avenue near the town's northern border, the sign has greeted—and perhaps confused—drivers for years. It also serves another purpose, displaying the names of the current Town Council members, which are updated after local elections.

Whether the orientation was intentional or simply the result of where the sign was placed, it's become part of the landmark's charm. Sometimes it's the little oddities like this that make a roadside stop memorable.

UPDATE: The Highland welcome sign is still standing along Kennedy Avenue, continuing to greet travelers... even if it's facing the wrong direction for some of them. 07-26

Package Liquor Store
North Judson, IN
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

A vertical neon sign like this is becoming harder to find. Clinging to the side of a brick building in downtown North Judson, Package Liquor Store still has the power to grab your attention, even with part of the "LIQUOR" lettering no longer lighting up. 11-08

The sign dates from a time when downtown businesses competed for attention with colorful neon instead of oversized plastic boxes. Its stacked lettering gives the storefront plenty of character and makes it one of those signs that's worth slowing down to admire.

Today, the business operates as the North Judson Bottle Shoppe, but the old Package Liquor Store sign remains part of the building's identity. It's a reminder of an era when a well-designed sign could become just as memorable as the business itself.

UPDATE: The North Judson Bottle Shoppe is still open. The vintage Package Liquor Store sign may be gone. 07-26

Wheeler Mission
Indianapolis, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

Just around the corner from Stout's Shoes is Wheeler Mission, a place that has been helping those in need in Indianapolis for generations. Mounted to the side of the building is a classic vertical sign that has become a familiar part of the downtown streetscape. 01-09

The organization traces its roots back to 1893, while this downtown building has served the mission since the early 1920s. The vertical marquee, dating from the 1950s, fits the architecture perfectly and gives the building a timeless look.

Unlike many old downtown signs that have disappeared over the years, this one is still in place. Protective panels now cover the neon, helping preserve an important piece of Indianapolis history while the mission continues its work.

UPDATE: Wheeler Mission continues to serve the Indianapolis community, and the vintage vertical sign remains a familiar landmark downtown. 07-26

Stout's Shoes
Indianapolis,, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

Walking along Massachusetts Avenue, it's hard to miss the glowing sign at Stout's Shoes. The bright red neon naturally draws your eye to the store's name, while the painted slogans below—"Factory to You" and "Shoes for the Entire Family"—quietly remind visitors of another era. 01-09

Stout's has been serving Indianapolis since 1886, making it one of the city's oldest continuously operating businesses. The store has remained at its longtime Mass Ave location through decades of change, becoming a landmark in its own right.

When much of Massachusetts Avenue had fallen on hard times, Stout's stayed the course. The store and its iconic sign became part of the neighborhood's revival, helping preserve the character that makes the district so popular today.

UPDATE: Stout's Footwear is still open, and its classic neon sign continues to shine over Massachusetts Avenue. 07-26

Rothschild Liquors (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Tammy Terwelp

The neon sign at Rothschild Liquors had everything you could ask for in a classic roadside marquee. Bright lettering, a sweeping boomerang arrow, and plenty of neon made it almost impossible to drive down Chicago Avenue without noticing it. 11-09

The animated arrow did exactly what it was meant to do, pointing customers toward the entrance while giving the storefront a fun mid-century look. It was the kind of sign that turned an ordinary neighborhood liquor store into a local landmark.

Rothschild Liquors was part of a longtime family-owned chain that once operated several stores throughout Chicago. This location became one of the best known, thanks in large part to its unforgettable sign.

UPDATE: The Chicago Avenue store closed in 2016, but the famous neon marquee was saved instead of being scrapped. After being restored, it found a new home inside a building in Chicago's West Loop, where it can still be enjoyed today. 07-26