Elephant
Car Wash (Demolished)
Seattle, WA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
For years, the giant pink Elephant Car Wash sign was one of Seattle's best-known roadside landmarks. The rotating elephant, outlined in bright neon and surrounded by hundreds of chasing lights, could be spotted from several blocks away. Even if your car didn't need washing, it was hard to resist slowing down for a look. It was one of those signs that seemed to put a smile on everyone's face.
The downtown Elephant Car Wash opened in the 1950s and quickly became part of Seattle's roadside culture. Designed by local neon artist Beatrice Haverfield, the cheerful elephant turned an ordinary business into something people remembered. It became one of those places visitors photographed, locals pointed out to friends, and travelers looked forward to seeing whenever they passed through town.
Elephant
Car Wash (Demolished)
Seattle, WA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
The sign was especially impressive after dark. With the elephant slowly turning above the street and the neon glowing against the Seattle sky, it was easy to see why it became such a familiar landmark. It wasn't the biggest sign in town, but it was certainly one of the most recognizable.
The downtown wash is gone now, but the elephant's story didn't end there.
UPDATE: Here's an updated photo of the Elephant Car Wash from 2015.
Elephant Car Wash (Demolished)
Seattle, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Word is the Elephant Car Wash on Battery Street near Denny Way will close its doors permanently after filing a demolition permit in early October. The car wash which has been around since 1951 is closing due to increased crime, homelessness, and drugs in the area according to its owners. The sign will be saved and restored by Seattle's Museum of History & Industry. 10-20
UPDATE: The downtown Elephant Car Wash closed in 2020, and the original building has been demolished. The famous pink elephant sign was restored and is now on public display. 07-26
Public Market
Seattle, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The clock and glowing red letters above Public Market make this one of Seattle’s easiest corners to recognize. With flower stalls, seafood counters, and crowds competing for attention below, my eyes still head toward the sign first. It’s worth another photograph no matter how many times you’ve stopped here. 09-08
Pike Place Market opened on August 17, 1907, allowing farmers to sell directly to shoppers rather than through middlemen. Eight farmers arrived on opening day and quickly sold their goods. From those modest beginnings, the market grew into a lively collection of produce stands, bakeries, restaurants, and little shops tucked into unexpected corners.
Public Market
Seattle WA Photo courtesy Jeannie Black
The famous Public Market Center clock and neon sign arrived in 1937, designed by architect Andrew Willatsen. Below it, Rachel the bronze piggy bank has collected donations for community services since 1986. Both are familiar photo stops, but remember to look beyond them. Some of the market’s best old signs hang inside above the shopping crowds.
UPDATE: Pike Place Market remains busy more than a century after opening, thanks in part to Seattle voters who protected it from redevelopment in 1971. The clock and neon still welcome visitors, while farmers and independent merchants keep the place doing what it was created to do. Come hungry, bring the camera, and leave a little time to wander. 07-26
Loback Meat Co
Seattle, WA Photo courtesy Gorb70
The Loback Meat Co. sign is a good reminder to look up while exploring Pike Place Market. Its colorful lettering hangs above the crowds, advertising a butcher shop that stopped taking orders decades ago. That’s considerably longer service than most business signs ever manage. 03-06
Loback served market customers for more than forty years before closing in 1989. Its sign became part of the market’s preserved atmosphere, with the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority maintaining the neon after the business was gone.
UPDATE: The Loback name survives overhead even though the meat counter is history. Among the market’s many signs, it offers a direct reminder of the merchants who helped make this much photographed Seattle landmark an everyday shopping destination. 07-26
Public Market
Seattle, WA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Public Market
Public Market
Loback Meat Co
