Richard Bennett Furniture (Gone)
Indianapolis, IN
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

The marquee sitting outside the Richard Bennett Furniture store features a marquee that's a flashback to the old days where colors and size made a difference between a sale and an empty register. Here's a shot of its ghost sign as well.

The Indianapolis furniture store served customers for decades, becoming one of many locally owned businesses that once lined this busy commercial corridor. Between the bold marquee out front and the painted wall advertisement along the side, the building wore its identity proudly.

Today, the furniture store is gone. The marquee has been removed, while the weathered ghost sign continues to fade with each passing year.

UPDATE: Richard Bennett Furniture has closed, the marquee is gone, and the ghost sign survives in a faded condition. 07-26

High-Low IGA Food Store (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

Here's a marquee for Food IGA. The initials 'IGA' stands for "Independent Grocers Association," a chain of independently owned supermarkets which can range from a simple mom-and-pop operation, to large mega-stores offering fresh seafood and cafeteria-style restaurants. Many thanks to William Blankenship for info.

IGA stands for Independent Grocers Alliance, founded in 1926 to bring independently owned stores together under a shared brand. That allowed local grocers to retain their own identity while displaying a nationally recognizable name. Chicago's High-Low stores became familiar neighborhood destinations, with historical photographs documenting the chain by the early 1950s.

UPDATE: The High-Low name and this storefront sign are gone. The supplied 1938 founding and 1976 closing dates haven't been independently confirmed, but the chain remains well remembered by Chicago shoppers. IGA itself continues, celebrating its centennial in 2026. 07-26

Simmons and Clark Jewelers
Detroit, MI
Photo courtesy Steve Felder

Look up along Broadway in Detroit for Simmons & Clark Jewelers. Its vertical neon lettering and Bulova watch advertising give the storefront the kind of polished appearance you'd expect from a longtime jewelry shop.

Fred Simmons and Harry Clark opened the business in October 1925 after borrowing $5,000. The distinctive Art Deco storefront followed in 1935, combining black structural glass with silver-colored aluminum trim. The projecting sign dates to the 1950s, adding another layer of design to a business that has remained family owned.

UPDATE: The Simmons and Clark sign disappeared sometime over the summer of 2006. The sign was in great condition. What is also nice was that the facade of the store is completely art deco, unchanged, and also in perfect condition. The store still appeared to be in business. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for update. 1-07

UPDATE: Simmons & Clark continues operating downtown, and the historic sign survives above the sidewalk. Its temporary disappearance in 2006 didn't become a permanent loss. Fortunately, the combination of neon and Art Deco storefront remains part of Broadway's commercial character. 07-26

Midline Exterminators (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo courtesy Don Gardner

The Midline Exterminators sign in Chicago gave pest control an unexpectedly colorful advertisement. Its bold shapes, mid-century styling, and built-in clock made it worth noticing even if you weren't looking for an exterminator.

Clocks gave businesses a useful way to attract attention. Someone checking the time also saw the company name, turning a practical feature into advertising. Midline's display used that idea alongside an eye-catching design, showing that memorable roadside signs weren't limited to restaurants, theaters, and motels.

UPDATE: Midline Exterminators has closed, and the marquee has been removed. Its installation date and later whereabouts remain unconfirmed. Hopefully, the sign survived somewhere beyond the original storefront, because this was considerably more interesting than an ordinary business-name panel. 07-26

Inskeep Bros. Printers (Gone)
Columbus, OH
Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans

Here's the old Inskeep Bros. Printers marquee in Columbus, Ohio. The built-in clock gave passersby another reason to look up, while the bold lettering made sure they remembered whose business was supplying the time.

Inskeep traces its printing history to 1888 and describes five generations of service to Columbus customers. The company evolved from traditional printing into a broader commercial operation, outlasting enormous changes in how printed material is designed and produced. Its old clock sign recalled an earlier era of storefront advertising.

UPDATE: Inskeep Printing remains in business, although the original marquee has been removed from its former location. The sign's whereabouts haven't been confirmed. Fortunately, the company's long printing tradition continues even without the familiar clock advertising it from the street. 07-26

The Broad Ripple Barber Shop (Gone)
Indianapolis, IN
Photo courtesy Emily Steele

Here's the Broad Ripple Barber Shop sign in Indianapolis. Simple lettering above the sidewalk told customers exactly what to expect inside. It didn't need an elaborate slogan when a haircut was the whole point.

The neighborhood shop belonged to the tradition of independent barbers serving regular customers from a familiar storefront. Signs like this quietly became landmarks through years of repeat visits, marking places where getting a trim could also mean catching up on neighborhood conversation.

UPDATE: The original sign has been removed from its former location. The supplied account says the business relocated nearby, although the move date and new address haven't been confirmed. The old marquee's destination is also unknown, leaving another familiar piece of Broad Ripple's storefront history without a settled ending. 07-26