Rock City
Lookout Mountain, TN
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

You know you're getting close to Chattanooga when the See Rock City signs start popping up along the old highways. This one features the familiar Rock City birdhouse and bluebird, pointing travelers toward Lookout Mountain. Check out Rock City and maybe this little fellow will sing you a tune. 06-06

The roadside advertising for Rock City is almost as famous as the attraction itself. Beginning in 1935, sign painter Clark Byers traveled the highways painting "SEE ROCK CITY" on barns, eventually covering more than 900 barns in 19 states. Those little red and black Rock City birdhouses became another familiar sight along the road.

UPDATE: Rock City Gardens remains open, but the fate of this particular bluebird roadside sign photographed along an old business route is unknown. 08-26

Skateland
Memphis, TN
Photo courtesy Sherry McGee

Here is the Skateland sign over the entrance of a skating rink. Sadly, the building caught fire and burned a few months ago and the owner didn't carry insurance so it's not certain if the rink will reopen. The sign however still remains at this time. Many thanks to Sherry McGee for info. 07-06

The rink opened on Summer Avenue in 1955 and moved across the street to Old Summer Road in 1963, taking the sign along. Its slightly curved framework followed the rounded roof of the original rink. A fire forced Skateland to close in 2006, but the enormous skate managed to survive.

UPDATE: It appears that the Skateland sign is for sale. Please contact me if interested. Many thanks to Todd Sanders for tip. 02-07

UPDATE: The former rink has been repurposed as County Glass & Mirror Co. The Skateland sign remains above the building, preserving a conspicuous piece of Memphis skating history. 11-26

Central Jewelry
Tifton, GA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Need the time while walking down Main Street? Just look up at Central Jewelry. The projecting sign comes complete with a clock, bold store lettering, and CASH and CREDIT panels spelling out your payment options. That's quite a bit of information packed into one old sidewalk sign. 06-06

Tony Falotico opened the business in 1953, and the Falotico family has kept it going through three generations. The store received a major renovation in the 2020s, but fortunately the improvements left its most recognizable feature intact. The clock and old-fashioned lettering still give the storefront plenty of downtown character.

UPDATE: Central Jewelers remains open at its longtime Main Street location. The vintage Central Jewelry sign still hangs above the sidewalk, clock and all. 11-26

Raines Shoe Hospital (Gone)
Owensboro, KY
Photo courtesy Sol Bermann

Need to save your soles without leaving the car? Raines Shoe Hospital in Owensboro had you covered. This wasn't just a neighborhood shoe repair shop. It offered drive-in service, with a window and bell for customers pulling up to drop off their worn footwear. The sign made sure everyone knew it, too. 05-06

The business opened in 1939 and remained in the Raines family for generations. Longtime owner Don Raines began working there at age 13, learning the trade that kept local shoes going a little longer. Out front, the SHOE HOSPITAL lettering and DRIVE-IN panel turned a practical service into a memorable roadside stop.

UPDATE: The old Raines Shoe Hospital building was demolished in 2020 to make room for parking. Its distinctive drive-in sign was removed as well. 11-26

Spring St. Super Market (Closed)
Cookeville, TN
Photo courtesy Doug Harvey

You could almost forget the groceries while admiring the Spring St. Super Market sign in Cookeville. Stacked lettering, plenty of neon, and a large arrow gave this independent market an entrance worth noticing. When working, the lights illuminated in sequence before finishing with the arrow pointing into the lot. 08-06

The market opened on West Spring Street in 1960 and served the neighborhood for more than 60 years. By the time of this photograph, the neon was no longer working, but the sign still had plenty of presence. Its oversized lettering and arrow belonged to an era when even the weekly grocery run could lead past a memorable roadside display.

UPDATE: I remember also taking a shot of this sign right after a snowstorm, with snow covering the parking lot and the old supermarket sign standing above it all. Getting the photos was half the fun. The car kept slipping around the icy parking lot while circling around for different shots of the sign. Sometimes the roadside hunt gets a little more interesting than planned. 04-16

UPDATE: Spring St. Super Market closed in August 2021. The fenced-off building remains, and the old neon sign still stands out front. 11-26

Viking Distillery Inc. (Closed)
Albany, GA
Photo courtesy Lisa Pike

Check out this roadside sign out front of the Viking Distillery Inc. building in Albany, GA. Viking Distillery is called out as "Georgia's first legal distillery." Many thanks to Lisa Pike for info. 09-06

The plant began in 1939 as Paramount Distillers and was reportedly Georgia's first legal distillery established after Prohibition. It became Viking Distillery in 1957, producing gin, vodka, brandy, and cordials. Although the operation eventually closed, the industrial buildings and surviving lettering continued to identify the property with its distilling days.

UPDATE: Viking no longer operates at the Albany plant. The property has seen other uses, while remnants of the old Viking Distillery signage survive. 11-26