Robert's Western World
Nashville, TN Photo courtesy Elgin MacMillan
There's no shortage of neon along Broadway in Nashville, but the big boot hanging over Robert's Western World still manages to catch your eye. "Honky Tonk Heaven" pretty much tells you what to expect once you step through the door. 09-08
Robert's started out in 1992 as a western wear shop selling boots and clothing. Before long, cold beer and live country music began taking over, and the place evolved into one of Broadway's best-known honky-tonks. BR549 played here as the house band during the 1990s before making a name for themselves well beyond Nashville.
The old boot sign still lights up Broadway, and inside you'll find plenty of reminders of the western wear days. There's also the famous Recession Special with a fried bologna sandwich, chips, Moon Pie and a PBR. Hard to get much more Nashville than that.
UPDATE: Robert's Western World is still going strong on Lower Broadway, with traditional country music filling the place nightly. Robert's also purchased the neighboring Jack's Bar-B-Que building in 2025 for an expansion, but the familiar honky-tonk and its old neon boot remain right where they belong. 08-26
Bluegrass Inn (Gone)
Nashville, TN Photo courtesy Elgin MacMillan
Right next door to Robert's Western World was another sign worth checking out. The Bluegrass Inn had this great western sign featuring a cowboy swinging a rope that loops right into the word "music." With all the neon competing for attention along Broadway, this one had plenty of personality of its own. 09-08
The Bluegrass Inn opened in the early 1990s under Robert Moore, who also started Robert's next door. Musician Layla Vartanian came to Nashville in 1996 and soon landed a regular gig here. A year later, she bought the place and it eventually became Layla's Bluegrass Inn.
The old cowboy sign disappeared as the storefront changed, but the music never really left the building.
UPDATE: The Bluegrass Inn is now Layla's Honky Tonk and remains open at 418 Broadway, still featuring bluegrass, classic country and plenty of old-school Nashville sounds. The cowboy and his neon rope are gone from the front of the building. 08-26
Sewell Manufacturing Co. (Closed)
Bremen, GA Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
You don't have to travel very far around Bremen before realizing that clothing was once big business here. Take a look at the old Sewell Manufacturing Co. building in downtown Bremen, GA. The big brick factory and Sewell lettering are reminders of the days when this small Georgia town was busy turning out suits and sport coats for stores around the country. 04-09
The Sewell story in Bremen goes back to 1918, when brothers Warren and Robert Sewell got into the clothing business. Business must have been pretty good because Sewell Manufacturing continued to grow, eventually becoming one of the companies that helped Bremen earn the nickname "Clothing Center of the South." Several other clothing manufacturers popped up around town over the years, many of them connected in one way or another to the Sewell family.
This particular factory became one of Sewell's main manufacturing plants. For decades, plenty of men's suits, sport coats and other tailored clothing passed through here. At one time Sewell also manufactured and marketed the Colours by Alexander Julian line, known for its colorful take on men's clothing during the 1980s and 1990s.
Sewell Manufacturing Co.
Bremen, GA Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
By the time this photo was taken, the glory days of clothing manufacturing in downtown Bremen were mostly in the rearview mirror. Still, the old factory remained, complete with the Sewell name across the building. It's one of those places where you can pretty much figure out what a town used to do for a living just by looking around.
UPDATE: The sewing machines may be gone, but the old Sewell factory is busy again. Sewell Market Co. opened inside the building in 2026 with vendor spaces, shops and a coffee shop. Much of the old industrial character remains, along with the familiar Sewell name outside. 08-26
WENN Radio (Gone)
Birmingham, AL Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
The old WENN Radio sign had definitely seen better days when this photo was taken. Sitting outside the station's longtime Birmingham location, the once colorful roadside sign had faded almost completely away, but those big WENN call letters could still be made out. 04-09
WENN became an important voice on Birmingham radio, particularly for the city's African-American community during the 1960s. Its sister station WENN-FM signed on in 1969, bringing R&B, soul and Motown to the FM dial and becoming one of Birmingham's best-known Black radio stations.
By the time this old sign was photographed, the station had gone through plenty of changes and the original location was no longer the center of activity it once had been. Still, seeing those faded call letters along the roadside was a nice reminder of the days when local radio stations had their own buildings, towers and signs out front.
UPDATE: The old WENN roadside sign has since been removed and the historic station building is no longer used for broadcasting. The WENN call letters, however, are still on the Birmingham airwaves at 1320 AM. 08-26
Shoe Hospital
Birmingham, AL Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
Need a little work on your soles? Check out the old Goodyear Shoe Hospital in downtown Birmingham, complete with a great vertical neon sign hanging over the sidewalk. And yes, that's a Goodyear sign underneath the Shoe Hospital lettering. Perhaps Goodyear rubber was used to repair the shoes? Now that's a real reach. 04-09
Turns out it isn't much of a reach after all. Goodyear once made rubber soles and heels specifically for the shoe repair trade, which explains the familiar Goodyear name on an old shoe shop sign like this.
The Shoe Hospital has been fixing Birmingham footwear since 1919, originally operating on 20th Street North. The business moved to this 3rd Avenue North storefront in 1984, bringing a little old-fashioned cobbler shop character along with it.
More than a century after the first shoes came through the door, you can still stop by with a worn-out pair and see if they can save your sole.
UPDATE: Goodyear Shoe Hospital remains open in downtown Birmingham, and the great old Shoe Hospital and Goodyear sign still hangs above the storefront. 08-26
Hunter Furniture
Birmingham, AL Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
Here's an old downtown storefront that looks like it has been around awhile. Hunter Furniture in Birmingham had not one but two faded old signs hanging outside, including the big vertical Hunter Furniture marquee towering over the sidewalk. You could probably find the place without much trouble. 04-09
Hunter Furniture opened in 1920 and moved into this 18th Street building in 1922. For the next 87 years, generations of Birmingham shoppers came here looking for sofas, chairs, bedroom sets and just about anything else needed to fill a house. The family-owned store was also known for extending credit to African-American customers at a time when many downtown businesses would not.
By the time this photo was taken, those old Hunter signs were looking pretty weathered, which was part of their charm. The store finally closed in October 2009 after 89 years in business.
Hunter Furniture
Birmingham, AL Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
There was one more surprise after the doors closed. Renovation work in 2010 uncovered old advertising murals hidden behind the interior walls, including a large sign for Wiseola, an early Birmingham soft drink. Apparently this building had a few more old signs hiding inside.
UPDATE: The former Hunter Furniture building has since been renovated for new uses, but the old exterior Hunter Furniture signs remain on the building, still looking suitably faded after all these years. 08-26
Robert's Western World
Bluegrass Inn (Gone)
Sewell Manufacturing Co. (Closed)
Sewell Manufacturing Co.
WENN Radio (Gone)
Shoe Hospital
Hunter Furniture
Hunter Furniture
