Kotler Exterminating (Gone)
Memphis, TN
Photo courtesy Dennis Dixson

Now this is how you advertise an exterminating company. Kotler Exterminating on Poplar Avenue had a marquee that could hold its own against a theater entrance. Rows of light bulbs outlined the Kotler name, with neon lettering underneath to finish the job. You probably didn't need directions once this one came into view. 02-06

The company, headed by Louis Kotler, operated just west of Cleveland Street and became a familiar name in Memphis pest control. For sign hunters, though, the attraction was hanging over the sidewalk. That combination of bulbs and neon gave an everyday service business a rather impressive roadside calling card.

UPDATE: Kotler Exterminating has closed, and both the building and its bulb-and-neon marquee have been demolished. The former Poplar Avenue property is now vacant land. 11-26

Contri Bro's Gift Basket and Florist
Birmingham, AL
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Here's an old Birmingham sign that stayed with the family business. Contri Brothers Gift Basket and Florist has been a familiar stop along First Avenue North for generations, with a roadside sign that gives motorists another reason to look beyond the storefront windows. 06-06

The business began in 1925 as Contri Bros. Food Basket, a neighborhood grocery. Flowers and gift baskets gradually became part of the operation, and the grocery side ended in 1997 as the family concentrated on floral arrangements, catering, and gifts. The old sign remained through those changes, carrying the Contri name into another chapter.

UPDATE: Contri Brothers remains in business on First Avenue North. Its vintage sign was taken down for restoration in 2020 and returned to its longtime roadside location. 11-26

Soap Opera Laundry (Gone)
Nashville, TN
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Who says doing laundry can't be a soap opera? Soap Opera Laundry certainly had some fun with the name. The old sign along Nashville's Dickerson Pike came complete with bubbles floating above the lettering, making this laundromat a little harder to pass without noticing. 06-06

Soap Opera was located at 2872 Dickerson Pike, along a stretch of Nashville once loaded with old motels, restaurants and roadside signs. The laundromat was still operating when this photo was taken, and the bubbly neon sign was very much part of the scenery. Unfortunately, the show eventually came to an end. By around 2014, the Soap Opera lettering and neon bubbles had been stripped from the sign, leaving the old sign cabinet behind.

UPDATE: Soap Opera Laundry is closed and its whimsical neon sign is gone. Don't confuse it with Soap Opry Coin Laundry farther down Dickerson Pike, which is a different business. 08-26

Berry's Loan (Gone)
Nashville, TN
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Here's another piece of downtown Nashville neon that looked especially good after dark. Berry's Loan advertised its business near the Nashville Arcade with a straightforward red neon sign. No elaborate mascot or moving parts here, just bright lettering that told passing customers exactly what was available inside. 06-06

Sol and Lester Berry started the business on Deaderick Street in 1941 before moving to Fourth Avenue. Over the years, the name appeared as Berry's Loan, Berry's Jewelry & Loan, and Berry's Pawn. Jewelry, musical instruments, and loans kept the business tied to downtown life for decades.

UPDATE: The former Fourth Avenue storefront has been renovated and now houses Naked Farmer. The red neon sign is gone, although the Berry's pawn business continues elsewhere in Nashville. 11-26

Drake Hardware (Gone)
Nashville, TN
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Cruising Dickerson Pike, you could hardly overlook the weathered rooftop display for Drake Hardware. Even with much of its neon out of commission, the sign still hinted at the show it once put on above this neighborhood hardware store. The best part was a trio of animated neon birds flying across the roofline. 06-06

That sort of movement helped businesses compete along the old pike, where motorists passed a steady assortment of restaurants, motels, and shops. By 2007, much of Drake's neon was dark. Around 2011, the remaining tubing was removed and the sign panels were painted over, leaving the framework behind.

UPDATE: Drake Hardware has closed, and the remaining rooftop sign disappeared in 2015. The building has seen other uses, but the animated birds are gone. 11-26

Simpson's Florist
Decatur, AL
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Here's a flower shop with a roadside display worth stopping for. Simpson's Florist in Decatur greets motorists along U.S. 31 with flowing script, pink and green lettering, and a neon rose. The sign dates to 1957 and gives the little brick shop plenty of personality before you ever reach the door. 06-06

The family business has kept another unusual piece of advertising, too: a 1963 Chevrolet panel delivery truck wearing the Simpson's name. Between the old delivery vehicle and the flower-shaped neon, there's quite a bit here for anyone who enjoys vintage commercial design. The sign received a restoration in 2010.

UPDATE: Simpson's Florist remains open in Decatur, and its vintage roadside sign continues to mark the flower shop. 11-26

Crumpy's Hot Wings (Gone)
Memphis, TN
Photo courtesy Sherry McGee

This wall mural was painted in the dining room of one of the Crumpy's Hot Wings locations. Less than two weeks after this photo was taken, the location closed. There are still several Crumpy's (it's a family owned business) but I don't think any of them have this painted mural. As a side note, this location is now a Dyer's Cafe, which features deep fried hamburgers. Here is a picture of the neon Dyer's sign from the downtown location. This particular location does not have a neon sign. Many thanks to Sherry McGee for info. 07-06

Donald Crump started Crumpy's in 1991, and the family-owned business became known around Memphis for whole wings with plenty of heat. This particular space later became a Dyer's Cafe, serving deep-fried hamburgers. Unlike the downtown Dyer's location, it didn't have a neon sign outside.

UPDATE: Crumpy's continues at other Memphis-area locations, but this restaurant and its dining-room mural are gone. The mural wasn't a feature shared by the other shops. 11-26

Grimes Memorial Methodist Church Mural (Gone)
Memphis, TN
Photo courtesy Sherry McGee

This mural is painted on an outer wall of Grimes Memorial Methodist Church located on Summer Avenue. I believe it was done by a member of that church several years ago. I used to work with a lady who attended church there and that was the information I got from her. I know it's hard to judge from the picture the size of the painting, but it takes up almost the entire outer wall. Many thanks to Sherry McGee for info. 07-06

Artist Craig Thompson painted the scene in 1982, recalling that he prayed in the sanctuary each morning before beginning work. The painting remained outside for decades, becoming a familiar part of the church property and this stretch of Summer Avenue.

UPDATE: Grimes Memorial closed in 2019, and the church building and mural were subsequently demolished. A Chick-fil-A now occupies the property where the large religious painting once overlooked the street. 11-26