Kankakee Glass (Gone)
Kankakee, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Kankakee Glass sign is a great reminder of the days when every town seemed to have its own family-owned glass shop. With its bright colors, built-in clock, and directional arrow, it had a lot more personality than you'd ever expect from a business that sold windows and mirrors. It was the kind of sign that made an ordinary storefront anything but ordinary.

Kankakee Glass had been serving the area since 1916, and the sign became one of the company's best-known features. When the business moved to neighboring Bradley in 2008, the owners made sure the sign went with them instead of leaving it behind. Thankfully, another piece of roadside history was given a second chance rather than being lost to the wrecking ball.

UPDATE: Kankakee Glass closed in 2025 after more than a century in business. The famous sign has since been removed, and its whereabouts are unknown. Hopefully it was saved, because signs with this much color and character deserve a second life. 07-26

Donuts and Coffee (Gone)
Ferguson, MO
Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier

The Donuts and Coffee sign caught my eye long before I knew what it belonged to. The lettering has that unmistakable mid-century look that's reminiscent of the golden age of bowling alleys, coffee shops, and neighborhood hangouts. Even without the rest of the building, the sign has plenty of personality all by itself.

As it turns out, the sign wasn't for a standalone donut shop at all. It was part of Ferguson Lanes, directing bowlers to the snack bar inside. Somehow that makes it even better. You can almost picture people taking a break between games for a cup of coffee and a fresh donut before heading back to the lanes. The bowling alley eventually closed after serving the community for decades, and the building later sat vacant before redevelopment plans began to take shape.

UPDATE: Ferguson Lanes is long gone, and the Donuts and Coffee sign disappeared along with it. It's another great example of how even a simple sign advertising coffee and donuts can become a memorable piece of roadside Americana. 07-26

O'Rear's Pastry Shop (Closed)
Lafayette, IN
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

How can you resist a pastry shop with a sign shaped like a baker's hat? O'Rear's Pastry Shop had one of the most unique signs in Indiana, and it was impossible to drive by without noticing it. Equal parts sign and sculpture, it turned an ordinary bakery into a true roadside landmark.

O'Rear's had been serving Lafayette since the 1930s and moved to this location in 1957. Generations of customers stopped by for pastries, donuts, and other baked treats, but for roadside fans, that oversized baker's hat was every bit as memorable as what was inside. It's one of those signs that simply wouldn't be built today.

UPDATE: O'Rear's has closed, and the building is now home to another local business. Thankfully, the famous baker's hat sign is still hanging on the side of the building, continuing to put a smile on the faces of people who pass by. 07-26

Sam's Loans (Gone)
Detroit, MI
Photo courtesy Steve Felder

If you needed cash in a hurry, Sam's Loans certainly got the message across. The big roadside sign promised "Money in 1 Minute!" in bold lettering that was impossible to ignore. Whether you needed a loan or not, it was one of those signs that made you look twice—and maybe even smile. It had all the personality of a classic downtown pawn shop.

Sam's Loans became a Corktown landmark after moving to Michigan Avenue in 1963. For nearly 50 years, the sign watched over the corner, becoming almost as well known as the business itself. Even after the neighborhood began to change, it remained one of those signs that gave the area a little extra character.

UPDATE: Sam's Loans closed in 2010, and the projecting "Money in 1 Minute" sign has since been removed. The historic building is still standing and has found new life as a restaurant, while the painted "LOANS" ghost sign remains on the brick wall as a reminder of what once stood here. 07-26

Tim-Bur Acres (Gone)
Crete, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

You don't run across many veterinary signs like Tim-Bur Acres. That's what caught my eye here. I can only imagine how this one looked when all of the neon was still lit. With its unique design, it must have really stood out along the roadside. 01-01

The clinic had been serving the Crete area since the 1950s, eventually becoming Tim-Bur Acres in the 1960s. While most people probably remember the place for taking care of their pets and livestock, I couldn't help but notice the sign. It's a type of roadside advertising you just don't see very often, and that's what makes it so memorable.

UPDATE: The veterinary clinic is gone, and the property is now an empty lot. Unfortunately, the sign disappeared along with it. It's too bad, because this was one of those uncommon roadside signs that deserved to stick around a little longer. 07-26

Clyde's Carpets (Gone)
Dearborn, MI
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

The colorful Clyde's Carpets sign was hard to miss. With its bright colors and playful design, it stood out from just about every other carpet store sign around. You don't normally expect a flooring business to have this much personality, but that's exactly what made it memorable. 04-01

Clyde's Carpets was a familiar name throughout the Detroit area for many years, operating several stores across southeast Michigan. While the business was known for its television commercials, it's the colorful roadside sign that sticks with me. It added a little fun to an otherwise ordinary storefront and made the place easy to spot from the road.

UPDATE: Clyde's Carpets is no longer in business, and the old Dearborn sign has disappeared. Like so many colorful commercial signs from the era, it's another piece of roadside Americana that's now just a memory. 07-26

B Clothing (Gone)
St Louis, MO
Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier

The first thing that catches your eye at B Clothing isn't the store—it's the facade. The oversized pastel "B," bright colors, and almost cartoon-like styling make it look more like a pop art display than a clothing store. It was definitely one of those places you noticed, whether you intended to stop or not.

This colorful look represented the final chapter of Boyd's, a St. Louis retailer whose roots stretched back to the 1800s. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the company had traded its traditional image for something much bolder. The giant "B" became its identity, turning an ordinary storefront into a roadside landmark that was unlike anything else around.

It may not have been a classic neon sign or a piece of Googie architecture, but that's part of what makes it interesting. Every era leaves behind its own style, and this one captured the colorful, graphic look of its time perfectly.

UPDATE: B Clothing closed in 1995, and the eye-catching facade has long since disappeared. Today it's just another reminder that roadside history isn't limited to the 1950s. Every decade leaves behind a few memorable designs, and this was certainly one of them. 07-26

Vargo's Food n' Fun
Norwalk, OH
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

Vargo's Food n' Fun looks like exactly the kind of place you'd hope to stumble across on a summer road trip. The colorful roadside sign, miniature golf course, and classic drive-in all work together to create the feeling that you're about to have some fun. It's the sort of place that makes you want to pull in, even if you weren't planning to stop. 01-01

For decades, Vargo's has been a favorite gathering place for families in the Norwalk area. Whether you're stopping for a burger, fries, a chili dog, or one of their famous ice cream treats, there's a good chance a round of miniature golf will be part of the visit too. Places like this used to be found in just about every town, but there aren't nearly as many left today.

The roadside sign ties it all together. It's bright, welcoming, and does exactly what a good sign should do—let you know that something fun is waiting just ahead.

UPDATE: Vargo's is still serving up food and fun in Norwalk, and the classic roadside sign is still standing out front. It's great to see a longtime family business that continues to welcome new generations while holding onto the charm that made it a local favorite. 07-26