Rollerdrome (Gone)
Grants Pass, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Rollerdrome advertised exactly what you hoped to find inside with its cheerful “Skate Fun” marquee. Later known as the Grants Pass Skate Center, the rink had a sign that fit the business perfectly. That little skate detail was enough to bring back memories of rented skates, birthday parties, and trying to stay upright when the music started. 03-06

The building had already done some traveling before the first skaters arrived. Clarence and Levina Davidson purchased a recreation building from Camp White, transported it piece by piece along old Highway 99, and reassembled it in Grants Pass. The rink opened in 1947, turning a former Army building into a place for a very different kind of marching around.

UPDATE: The skating center has closed, and the familiar marquee has been removed. These photos preserve a roadside reminder of a family business that gave generations of Grants Pass residents somewhere to spend an evening on wheels. 07-26

Denim Den (Gone)
Grants Pass, OR
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

If you were looking for a pair of jeans, Denim Den made sure you knew where to stop. The colorful sign stood out among the downtown Grants Pass storefronts, doing its part to steer shoppers toward the clothing racks. Sometimes a good sign could sell you on a stop before you even saw the merchandise. 09-05

The shop carried Levi’s, western wear, and casual clothing, fitting right into the collection of independent businesses along Sixth Street. Before shopping meant heading for a big box store, places like this gave people another reason to spend an afternoon downtown. The sign added a little extra personality to the trip.

UPDATE: Denim Den has closed, and its colorful sign has been removed. The storefront has found another use, leaving this photo to remember a downtown clothing shop that knew how to catch your eye. 07-26

Blue Ribbon Shoe Service (Gone)
Grants Pass, OR
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The little neon hammer at Blue Ribbon Shoe Service looked ready to keep working long after closing time. Paired with the outline of a shoe, the animated sign advertised its trade with more personality than any ordinary storefront lettering could manage. This was one worth stopping for, even if your shoes were behaving themselves. 09-05

Made around 1949 by Dean Jewel of Roseburg Neon, the sign originally advertised Hill’s Shoe Service in Roseburg. It later moved to another Roseburg repair shop before arriving in Grants Pass in 1995. A restoration changed the shoe from brown to blue, giving the traveling cobbler’s sign a fresh look for its new home.

UPDATE: The sign was still hanging in 2017, but by 2018 the shop had closed and the neon was gone. Its present whereabouts remain unconfirmed. Hopefully that little hammer found somewhere else to keep tapping. 07-26

It's The Climate
Grants Pass, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

You know you’ve reached Grants Pass when “It’s The Climate” stretches across Sixth Street overhead. The familiar arch gives downtown an entrance with a little more personality than the average welcome sign. You could hardly ask for a clearer hint about what the local boosters wanted travelers to remember. 03-06

The original sign went up on July 20, 1920, promoting the area’s weather to motorists passing through town. Local businessman John Hampshire helped bring the slogan and arch to life. Long before tourism websites, a few memorable words hanging across the road could make a pretty effective sales pitch.

UPDATE: The arch seen today is a replica unveiled on June 29, 1977. It continues spanning Sixth Street, keeping one of Grants Pass’ most recognizable roadside traditions right where travelers can see it. Apparently, a good slogan doesn’t need much updating. 07-26

IOOF (Gone)
Cottage Grove, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Looking up sometimes pays off, especially when an old sign like IOOF is hanging above the sidewalk. The faded lettering and weathered finish fit right into downtown Cottage Grove. It wasn’t trying very hard to catch your attention anymore, but that was part of what made it worth photographing. 03-06

The initials stand for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, whose lodge buildings were once familiar sights in downtowns across the country. Their three linked rings represent Friendship, Love, and Truth. With businesses downstairs and lodge activities above, buildings like this brought everyday shopping and community gatherings together under one roof.

UPDATE: The historic building survives, but the projecting lodge sign has been removed. It’s a small change you might miss while driving through town, although anyone who enjoys old signs knows how much character can disappear with one piece of metal. 07-26

Shirleen Trailer Park
Medford, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Shirleen Trailer Park sign was another reason to keep looking up along Medford’s North Riverside Avenue. Tall, easy to read, and full of old roadside character, it marked an entrance that a plain modern directory sign just wouldn’t announce quite the same way. 03-06

Riverside Avenue follows the old Highway 99 corridor, where trailer courts shared the roadside with motels, service stations, and restaurants. Signs like Shirleen’s helped give each property its own identity. Even as trailer parks became more permanent communities, their entrance signs often held onto the look of the traveling years.

UPDATE: The property at 602 North Riverside Avenue is now listed as Bear Creek Mobile Home Village, formerly Shirleen Trailer Park. State housing records identify it as a family community rather than a senior park. The current status of the photographed sign remains unconfirmed. 07-26

Roseburg Bookstore (Gone)
Roseburg, OR
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The Roseburg Bookstore sign had the sort of weathered appearance that makes you reach for the camera. Faded paint and aging neon gave it plenty of character, even without a fresh coat of anything. It looked right at home above a downtown shop where browsing was part of the reason to stop. 03-06

Roseburg Book and Stationery was advertising by 1910, giving the business roots reaching back more than a century. Its name promised more than something to read, recalling the days when a downtown bookstore might also supply stationery, greeting cards, and other everyday necessities. Out front, the old sign became an attraction in its own right.

UPDATE: The original business has closed. The sign’s later history is less certain, so its removal date remains unconfirmed. Fortunately, this photo preserves the familiar lettering from a time when the old bookstore was still part of a trip downtown. 07-26