World Real Estate (Gone)
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The World Real Estate sign certainly wasn't shy about advertising its services. Real estate, insurance, and mortgages shared a colorful neon display that looked more ambitious than the ordinary neighborhood office sign. This was the kind of advertising you could spot before finding the address. 04-06
Probably dating from the 1950s, the sign outlasted the business by years. By 2012, a law office occupied the storefront beneath it, leaving the old lettering to advertise services no longer offered there. Fortunately for sign hunters, nobody had been in a hurry to take it down.
UPDATE: The World Real Estate sign was removed in 2015. Its eventual destination hasn't been confirmed, but its long stay above a different business gave this piece of Chicago roadside advertising a few extra years in public view. 07-26
Odd Fellows Temple
Salem, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Odd Fellows Temple sign is a nice surprise along Main Street in Salem. The vertical lettering announces the lodge, while the smaller “Meets Mon. Nights” panel gets right down to business. No electronic readerboard needed—just remember which evening to show up. 04-06
The temple is associated with Mt. Olive Lodge No. 114 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Fraternal halls like this supplied meeting rooms and social space above downtown businesses, and their signs helped make the upstairs organizations part of the streetscape.
UPDATE: Mt. Olive Lodge No. 114 remains listed in the organization's lodge directory. The vintage blade sign is the standout feature here, although its present lighting condition hasn't been confirmed. It's a fine reminder to look above the storefronts when exploring an old downtown. 07-26
Terry Bakery (Closed)
Ann Arbor, MI Photo courtesy Jay Lin
The Terry Bakery sign in downtown Ypsilanti has always been a favorite. Two little bakers carrying an enormous rolling pin make quite a team above Michigan Avenue. The proportions alone are enough to make you smile—that's a pretty serious piece of equipment for two fellows their size. It's the kind of playful advertising that makes you stop for a photograph even when you weren't looking for something sweet. 03-06
Opened in 1951, the bakery became a familiar stop for bread, donuts, pastries, and birthday cakes. The building at 119 West Michigan Avenue had already housed earlier businesses, including a grocery store, before baking became its specialty. For generations of customers, the rolling-pin sign marked the place to pick up something for breakfast or a family celebration.
Terry Bakery
Ypsilanti, MI Photo courtesy Mike Engle
Later owners changed the business name to The Sweet Shoppe but kept the Terry Bakery sign. By then, the bakers and their oversized tool had become part of downtown's identity. A restoration through a downtown improvement effort in 2013 brought renewed attention to the sign, preserving the familiar design instead of replacing it with ordinary storefront lettering.
UPDATE: The bakery has closed, but its wonderful rolling-pin sign survives above the sidewalk. Fortunately, the business's most memorable feature has continued giving passersby something to enjoy. Those two bakers are still carrying their oversized load, keeping a little of old downtown Ypsilanti on display. Hopefully, whatever comes next for the storefront will appreciate the hardworking pair already stationed outside. 07-26
Overseas Arts and Travel (Gone)
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Jason Carlton
The Overseas Arts and Travel storefront brought an unusual combination of services to Chicago's Chinatown. You could browse imported artwork and gifts, then make arrangements to head overseas yourself. Its distinctive frontage made it worth a look even without a trip to plan. 04-06
Located along South Wentworth Avenue, the business became part of the neighborhood's remembered commercial landscape. Local recollections mention its red-and-white tile and a pagoda-topped telephone booth outside which is a particularly good detail from the days when making a call meant finding a phone along the sidewalk.
UPDATE: Overseas Arts and Travel has closed, and its former signage is gone. The surviving building has moved on to other occupants, but the shop's combination of imports, travel services, and distinctive street details remains part of Chinatown's business history. 07-26
Blossom Basket Florist (Closed)
Urbana, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Blossom Basket Florist sign knew how to point out a flower shop. Its sweeping arrow and illuminated basket supplied plenty of roadside personality along Cunningham Avenue in Urbana. This was advertising with a little more imagination than simply spelling out “flowers.” 04-06
The business opened in 1954, and the original sign dated from that year. After rust and failing neon took their toll, Urbana's American Dowell Sign Company recreated the seven-foot-wide display in 2008. Its replacement was single-sided, reflecting the sign's move from a pole to the side of the building.
UPDATE: Blossom Basket closed July 31, 2025, after 71 years in business. The recreated sign had preserved its familiar appearance long after the original wore out. Its condition following the closure hasn't been confirmed, but it remains a memorable example of a florist putting its product right into the advertising. 07-26
Oliver's Bakery
Kenosha, WI Photo courtesy Don Gardner
The Oliver's Bakery sign doesn't leave much doubt about where to turn. Its sweeping yellow arrow directs hungry travelers toward the Roosevelt Road entrance in Kenosha, adding a little roadside excitement to the daily bakery run. It's the sort of sign that catches your attention first and lets your appetite make the next decision. There have probably been plenty of unplanned donut stops beneath that arrow. 05-09
Serving Kenosha since 1953, Oliver's has become a hometown destination for donuts, pastries, custom cakes, and Wisconsin kringles. Its shop at 3526 Roosevelt Road has supplied treats for generations of birthdays, holidays, and morning coffee breaks. The bakery's specialties give regulars a reason to return, while the distinctive sign makes it easy for newcomers to find the front door.
A remodeling in 2006 updated the bakery while retaining its familiar roadside character. Fortunately, the classic sign remained part of the welcome rather than disappearing with the improvements. There's an unexpected offering inside, too: Friday fish fry. A bakery might not be the first place you'd think of for dinner, but this one can take care of both the main course and dessert.
Oliver's Bakery front view
Kenosha, WI Photo courtesy Chibbqking
UPDATE: Oliver's continues serving customers, and its yellow arrow remains a recognizable part of the storefront. More than seventy years after opening, the bakery still gives people a reason to pull over along Roosevelt Road. It's nice to find a longtime neighborhood business where the sign and the shop are both still doing their jobs. Follow the arrow and see what's fresh. 07-26
World Real Estate (Gone)
Odd Fellows Temple
Terry Bakery (Closed)
Terry Bakery
Overseas Arts and Travel (Gone)
Blossom Basket Florist (Closed)
Oliver's Bakery
Oliver's Bakery front view
