Trudy's Tavern (Demolished)
Seattle, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The colorful Trudy’s Tavern sign looked like it had collected a few additions over the years. Different shapes, bright panels, and that oversized “BAR” lettering came together into something you weren’t likely to confuse with the business next door.
Located along the old Highway 99 corridor in Tukwila, Trudy’s belonged to a roadside landscape of motels, restaurants, and taverns built around passing traffic. The sign’s slightly mismatched appearance was part of its appeal. Sometimes a little improvisation gives a marquee more personality.
UPDATE: Trudy’s was demolished in 2011 for a Taco Time development, and the old sign disappeared. The property continues serving motorists, although the colorful tavern marquee no longer marks the stop. 07-26
Wonder Bur
Grants Pass, OR Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The boomerang, neon lettering, and rooftop clock at Wonder Bur make quite a roadside combination. This Grants Pass landmark looks like it should advertise something considerably more futuristic than a neighborhood cafe and lounge.
Local lore supplies an explanation for the unusual name. Supposedly, an owner altered the “a” in “Wonder Bar” after objections from liquor authorities, producing “Bur.” I spent a pleasant evening outside talking with locals while waiting for the neon to glow. Sometimes lingering until sunset is the best part of a stop.
UPDATE: Wonder Bur remains open at 116 Southwest H Street. Its distinctive sign and clock continue marking the downtown business, preserving one of southern Oregon’s most memorable roadside displays. 07-26
The Owl Club (Gone)
Grants Pass, OR Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The green neon at The Owl Club gave downtown Grants Pass an especially memorable nighttime landmark. Between the glowing lettering and owl perched above, this was a sign worth waiting until dark to photograph.
The property’s history reaches back to the Owl Billiard Parlor, identified in local records with a 1905 date. The business also had a baseball connection, with historic documentation associating former major league player Ken Williams with the establishment. That’s a little more history than the neon owl lets on.
UPDATE: The Owl Club is gone, and the property became G Street Bar and Grill. The original owl sign was removed, leaving photographs to preserve the familiar display that once watched over the street. 07-26
Harvey's Tavern
Seattle, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The smiling neon bunny above Harvey's
Tavern is hard to overlook along Highway 99 in Edmonds. Perched above the traffic, it gives the place considerably more personality than a plain tavern sign. Even if you aren’t stopping for a drink, that rabbit deserves a second look.
The building’s restaurant history reaches back to August 1939, when Alby Albright relocated Albright’s Bungalow Cafe to the area then known as Seattle Heights. The cafe stood near Highway 99 and 212th Street, at an intersection longtime residents also called Eisen’s Corner. Harvey’s later occupied the building, continuing its role as a gathering place along the old highway.
UPDATE: After an extended closure and interior remodeling, Harvey’s reopened under new management by spring 2023. The business operates at 21116 Highway 99, with the familiar Harvey’s Lounge sign recalling its earlier identity. The exact installation date of the neon bunny remains unconfirmed, but it’s a memorable survivor above a location with more than eighty years of restaurant history. 07-26
The Alibi Tiki Lounge
Portland, OR Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
It's hard to miss The Alibi Tiki Lounge after dark. The tall neon sign glows along North Interstate Avenue, promising something a little different than the businesses around it. It looks inviting from the street, but the real surprise comes after you step inside.
The Alibi has been a Portland landmark since the 1940s and remains one of the oldest tiki lounges in the country. The moment you walk through the door, the outside world seems to disappear. Bamboo, carved wood, tropical touches, and soft lighting create the feeling that you've wandered into another time and another place.
Step inside and the Polynesian theme continues with bamboo, carved wood, and a huge hula mural covering one wall. The Alibi opened as a tiki lounge in 1947 and is considered one of the country's oldest surviving original tiki bars. It's also been home to Portland karaoke for decades, giving visitors one more reason to stop in after admiring the neon outside.
One of my favorite features is the large mural that stretches across the wall. Under the dim lighting it almost seems to glow, adding even more atmosphere to a room that already feels like a tropical hideaway. It's worth taking a few minutes to look around because there's something interesting almost everywhere you turn.
The Alibi Tiki Lounge
Portland, OR Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
Places like this are becoming harder to find. The Alibi isn't just about the food or the drinks. It's about the complete experience, from the towering neon sign outside to the wonderfully over-the-top interior waiting inside.
UPDATE: The Alibi Tiki Lounge remains open, and both the classic neon sign and its tropical interior continue welcoming visitors. 07-26
Bern's Tavern
Prosser, WA Photo courtesy Van
The giant neon “EAT” at Bern’s Tavern doesn’t leave much room for misunderstanding. Those three letters make a pretty convincing invitation while passing through downtown Prosser. You might arrive looking for old signs and find yourself thinking about a hamburger instead.
Located at 618 Sixth Street, Bern’s occupies a building dating to the early 1900s. An antique back bar adds to the atmosphere inside, while the familiar Bern’s Burger gives customers another reason to remember the name. There’s more to this stop than the lettering overhead.
UPDATE: Bern’s continues serving food and drinks in downtown Prosser. Its classic sign remains part of the appeal, recalling the days when even a neighborhood tavern could give the main street a memorable splash of neon. 07-26
Comet Tavern
Seattle, WA Photo courtesy Chris Richey
The Comet Tavern sign seems to stand out even beneath Seattle’s gray skies. Its colorful neon gives the corner of East Pike Street and Tenth Avenue a familiar landmark before the evening crowds arrive. Some signs apparently don’t need darkness to get noticed.
The space had a tavern history before the Comet name appeared, with an earlier business known as the Wee Deoch and Doris. The Comet later became associated with Seattle’s music scene, adding bands and crowded evenings to the story of this longtime Capitol Hill watering hole.
UPDATE: After closing in October 2013, the Comet reopened in March 2014 under new ownership. It remains in business, with its familiar neon marking another Seattle gathering place that managed to survive a change of hands. 07-26
Trudy's Tavern (Demolished)
Wonder Bur
The Owl Club (Gone)
The Alibi Tiki Lounge
Bern's Tavern
Comet Tavern
