Hoosier Highlander Stationery
Highland, IN
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

The Hoosier Highlander Stationery sign is one of those signs that instantly takes you back. Hanging out front with its classic neon styling, it has been welcoming customers for decades and remains one of Highland's best roadside landmarks. 10-08

The business first opened in 1946 as a stationery store, but like many longtime family businesses, it has evolved over the years. Today the focus is on custom framing and art supplies, yet the old Hoosier Highlander name and the vintage sign have remained. I'm glad they did. Too often the signs disappear when a business changes with the times.

UPDATE: Hoosier Highlander is still serving the community under new ownership, and the vintage neon sign continues to shine out front. It's great to see another classic hometown business that understands the value of preserving a little piece of its history. 07-26

Semco Furniture Company (Demolished)
Hammond, IN
Photo courtesy Barney Slifer

Downtown Hammond was once filled with old buildings and signs, and this Furniture Store sign was one of the real eye-catchers. The giant marquee stretched across the front of the building and must have been quite a sight when all of the lights were working. 10-08

The building dated back to the 1920s and was once home to the Semco Furniture Company. The store didn't last long, but the old structure went on to serve other uses over the years. By the time this photo was taken, the furniture sign remained as a reminder of the days when downtown Hammond was a busy shopping district.

UPDATE: The old building has since been demolished, and the site is now an empty lot. The large furniture sign disappeared as well, leaving one less piece of downtown Hammond's past along State Street. 07-26

Char El Mobile Home Park
Gary, IN
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

You don't expect to find a sign like this at a mobile home park, which is probably why Char El Mobile Home Parkcaught my attention. The decorative metalwork gives it a real mid-century look, and even though the center has been modernized, the frame has far more character than you normally see on a place like this. 10-08

I've always wondered if this sign started life somewhere else. The design feels more like something you'd find in front of an old motel, restaurant, or roadside attraction than a mobile home park. Whether that's true or not, it certainly has that look. The original neon is long gone, but enough of the old structure remains to make you stop and take a closer look.

UPDATE: Char El Mobile Home Park is still open, and the old sign frame is still standing out front. It may not be lighting up the night anymore, but it's another nice reminder that some of the best roadside survivors are often hiding in plain sight. 07-26

Sunbeam Bread (Gone)
Fort Wayne, IN
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

Here's an old classic Sunbeam Bread rooftop sign in Fort Wayne, IN. The Sunbeam signs always appear to show a lot of character, such as this one in El Paso, TX. 10-08

Installed in 1957 above the Pearl Street bakery, the sign became a familiar part of downtown for nearly 70 years. Its animation created the impression of slices dropping from a wrapper onto a plate. Even after baking ended at the property, the sign continued advertising above the company's offices.

UPDATE: The sign was carefully removed on January 29, 2025, following Aunt Millie's headquarters relocation. The company committed to preserving it, preferably downtown, with its Bluffton Road headquarters as another possible destination. Its final home hasn't been confirmed, but fortunately this familiar loaf escaped the scrapyard. 07-26

Mina's Department Store (Demolished)
Hammond, IN
Photo courtesy Barney Slifer

Mina's Department Store was once one of the landmarks of downtown Hammond. Its large rooftop sign stood watch over State Street for decades before the building was eventually torn down. Looking at this photo, it's hard not to wonder if that sign found a new home somewhere or quietly disappeared along with the rest of the store. 10-08.

The business dates back to 1890 when Edward C. Minas opened a hardware store before expanding into what became one of northwest Indiana's best-known locally owned department stores. A major expansion in the early 1910s gave the building its distinctive terra cotta façade and helped establish it as one of downtown Hammond's premier shopping destinations.

Like so many downtown department stores, Minas struggled as shoppers moved to suburban malls, and the store closed in the 1980s. The vacant building was demolished in 2002, and a new church auditorium now occupies the site.

UPDATE: Although a storefront sign from a Minas branch store in nearby Calumet City is known to have been preserved, the fate of the rooftop sign shown here remains unknown.

Barelli's Appliances (Gone)
Hammond, IN
Photo courtesy Barney Slifer

An eye-catching vertical neon sign made Barelli's Appliances hard to miss along State Street in downtown Hammond. It was one of those hometown stores that seemed to have been there forever, serving generations of customers looking for appliances, furniture, or parts to keep an old machine running. 10-08

Although the building dated back to around 1910, a mid-century remodeling gave it the sleek aluminum façade seen here. The bold vertical sign fit the updated look perfectly, making Barelli's one of the more recognizable businesses in downtown Hammond. Whether you needed a new appliance or simply drove by on a regular basis, chances are you remembered the sign.

UPDATE: Both the building and its neon sign are gone. The property was cleared during downtown redevelopment in the 2000s, bringing an end to another longtime Hammond business that helped define the character of State Street for many years. 07-26

Saugatuck Sign (Gone)
Saugatuck, MI
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

At the split where northbound traffic leaves the newer highway for the older route into downtown, this Saugatuck Signgreeted visitors with a little personality. The colorful design on the left almost looks like a bunch of balloons until you realize it's an artist's palette, a fitting symbol for one of Michigan's best-known art communities. 12-08

UPDATE: The original wooden welcome sign is gone. Changes to the intersection and years of being struck by passing vehicles eventually brought an end to this familiar gateway into Saugatuck. 07-26

UAW Local 161
Auburn, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

A classic roadside neon sign marks the home of UAW Local 164 in Auburn. The bold "UAW" lettering, illuminated by neon, and the familiar union emblem made it an easy landmark to spot while driving through town. 04-09

The local was chartered in 1942 and represented generations of workers at Auburn's clutch manufacturing plant. As the factory changed ownership over the years, the union remained a constant presence, standing as a reminder of the city's long manufacturing heritage.

UPDATE: As the factory permanently closed in 2021, the union hall sign is likely gone as well. 07-26