 Wildcat Saloon (Closed)
Trinidad, CO
Photo and info courtesy Larry Glass
Check out the neon at the Wildcat Saloon in Trinidad. Judging by the crowd, patrons were having a "large" time when this photo was taken.
The Wildcat Saloon opened in 2002 and added another splash of neon to downtown Trinidad. While it wasn't around nearly as long as some of the town's historic watering holes, its sign fit right in with the vintage character of Main Street after dark. 11-07
UPDATE: The Wildcat Saloon has since closed, and the building now operates as a different business. The original Wildcat sign was removed during the transition, making photos like this a reminder of a short-lived but memorable piece of Trinidad nightlife. 06-26
 Larsen's Frostop (Closed)
St George, UT
Photo courtesy Matthias Tippner
The neon at Larsen's Frostop was worth coming back for. On my first couple of visits, the sign was dark, so finally seeing it fully illuminated was a real treat. Just down the street from the Sands Motel, it gave this stretch of St. George Boulevard another reason to bring the camera after sunset. 01-09
Opened in 1965, Larsen’s served burgers, root beer, and its familiar Piccadilly chips for generations. The drive-in originally advertised with a giant revolving Frostop mug before replacing it with the towering neon sign in the early 1980s. That little burger carrying fellow certainly made the replacement memorable.
UPDATE: Larsen’s closed in 2023, and the restaurant property found new use as Sip-N Drinks & Treats. The sign survived with different lettering, while its mascot traded the oversized hamburger for a drink cup. Thankfully, this roadside character found another job instead of disappearing with the business. 06-26
 Flying V Coffee Shop (Gone)
Panguitch, UT
Photo courtesy Matthias Tippner
The Flying M Cafe gave travelers along U.S. 89 in Panguitch a roadside welcome worth noticing. Its colorful arrow and prominent “Coffee Shop” lettering were the sort of advertising that could make you consider a meal even if you had only planned to drive through town.
Historic postcards identify the restaurant as the Flying M, rather than Flying V, and promoted its location as a gateway to Bryce Canyon. With tourists traveling through southern Utah’s red rock country, a conspicuous sign helped turn passing traffic into customers. A cup of coffee before the next stretch of highway probably sounded pretty good.
 Flying V Coffee Shop (Gone)
Panguitch, UT
Photo courtesy Matthias Tippner
The sign was the part that caught my attention. The combination of an arrow, neon, and straightforward lettering gave the cafe an identity all its own. It belonged to an era when a restaurant could become a familiar landmark simply by lighting up the same roadside corner year after year.
UPDATE: The Flying M is gone, and its familiar neon sign has been removed. Photographs and postcards preserve its earlier appearance, when the arrow still pointed hungry travelers toward the coffee shop. It’s another reason to photograph these places while the signs are still doing their job. 06-26 |
 Taco House Neon Sign (Closed)
Denver, CO
Photos courtesy Robin McCracken
The neon at Taco House made this Federal Boulevard restaurant hard to overlook. Its sombrero wearing character, bright lettering, and illuminated edging gave the little building an oversized roadside welcome. You could appreciate the sign without ordering, although it certainly encouraged a stop. 09-10
Gerald Bevelhymer opened the original location at 581 South Federal Boulevard in 1958. Affordable Mexican food and carryout service helped the family business expand to eleven metro area restaurants during the 1970s. The original remained a familiar stop for generations.
UPDATE: The Federal restaurant closed at the end of 2024 after 66 years. The family’s Lakewood location on Wadsworth Boulevard continues operating, while a separately owned Taco House survives in Littleton. The future of the original neon sign remains uncertain. 07-26
 Bastien's Restaurant
Denver, CO
Photo courtesy Robin McCracken
The sign at Bastien's Restaurant offers a good reason to slow down along East Colfax Avenue in Denver. The steaks may draw people inside, but the neon and sweeping building design deserve some attention first. This is a restaurant where the roadside appearance is part of the experience. 09-10
The Bastien family previously operated the Moon Drive-In on the site before replacing it with the present restaurant. Built in 1958, the new building embraced the futuristic Googie style, giving diners something quite different from an ordinary steakhouse. Its dramatic roofline still makes an impression among the businesses along Colfax.
The famous Sugar Steak provides another detail you won’t find at every restaurant. Cooked with butter and brown sugar to create a caramelized crust, it became the house specialty. Outside, the neon sign was installed in January 1959, with the “STEAKS” panel added in April 1961. Apparently, the specialty deserved a little extra roadside emphasis.
 Bastien's Restaurant
Denver, CO
Photo courtesy Robin McCracken
UPDATE: Bastien’s remains in family operation at 3503 East Colfax Avenue. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in September 2009, the restaurant preserves both its distinctive architecture and its longtime dining tradition. Thankfully, this Denver landmark still offers more than a photograph from the sidewalk. 06-26 |
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