Friendly Store Fountain and Sundries (Gone)
Gila Bend,
AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The weathered Friendly Store Fountain and Sundries sign hangs from the upper balcony of Stout’s Hotel in Gila Bend. Its old-fashioned wording recalls a time when travelers could stop for a cold fountain drink, pick up a few necessities and find a room upstairs. Nearby panels promising “Steam Heat” and “Air Conditioned” complete the roadside sales pitch. 11-20
The historic hotel was designed by noted Southwestern architect Henry Trost and developed in stages between 1914 and 1929. Its ground floor housed local businesses, including a barber shop, cafe and the Friendly Store. Quite a convenient arrangement for anyone arriving dusty and thirsty from the desert highway.
UPDATE: Stout’s Hotel remains standing but closed to the public. The Town of Gila Bend purchased the property in 2017 with preservation and future reuse in mind. It appears that this sign is now gone. 09-26
Gila Bend Welcomes You (99)
Gila Bend, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Gila Bend Welcomes You sign offers a greeting with a little more personality than the usual population marker. Photographed here in 1999, it proudly announces “1700 friendly people and 5 old crabs.” Yes, the sign really says that. Apparently, not everyone in town was having a good day. 11-20
The hand-painted roadside welcome has entertained travelers for decades, with the population and crab count changing between versions. Later signs even listed the supposed crabs by name. Now that is quite a distinction to carry around a small town.
UPDATE: Gila Bend’s whimsical welcome sign survives, with periodic repainting and changes to its panels. The friendly-people tally has changed over the years, but the town has kept its sense of humor right out by the highway. 09-26
4 Amigos Super Discount Stores (Demolished)
Globe,
AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The 4 Amigos Super Discount Store in Globe had more going for it than bargain prices. Its sweeping, arched roofline and mid-century roadside sign made the place hard to miss from the street. That big curve gave an otherwise ordinary discount store the appearance of something left over from the Space Age. 06-23
The building stood near Broad and Oak streets, alongside the Gila County Courthouse complex. While much of downtown Globe is known for older brick storefronts, this place offered a completely different look. The roof practically became its own advertisement, catching the eye before anyone had a chance to read the store name.
Exactly what occupied the building before 4 Amigos remains a mystery. Its shape brought to mind the old White Front discount stores, but there is no confirmed connection. Whatever its original purpose, somebody clearly wanted more than a conventional flat-roofed retail box.
4 Amigos Super Discount Stores (Demolished)
Globe,
AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The discount store eventually closed, leaving behind an unusual piece of Globe’s commercial roadside. It would have been interesting to see the place in its earliest years, with the sign freshly painted and that dramatic roof welcoming its first customers.
To the right is the cool looking parabolic building.
UPDATE: The building and its mid-century sign have been demolished. Gila County cleared the property for courthouse-related parking and infrastructure. The original business identity and exact demolition date remain unconfirmed. 09-26
Wolf's Department Store (Gone)
Buckeye, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The old Wolf’s Department Store sign in downtown Buckeye now reads “Absolute Uniforms,” but the building has not completely forgotten its past. Look above the storefront and traces of the original “WOLF’S” lettering remain on the facade. The sign has found another job, while the old name quietly hangs on above Monroe Avenue. 06-23
Built in 1937, the store became a familiar downtown shopping stop after Joe Wolf entered the business in 1939. Customers could browse clothing, furniture and dry goods, and even visit a beauty parlor inside for a time. Quite a convenient arrangement for a Saturday trip into town.
The department store eventually gave way to other businesses, including Cafe 25:35. Where customers once picked out new clothes, diners later stopped for coffee and a bite to eat.
UPDATE: The historic building survives, although Cafe 25:35’s current operating status is unconfirmed. The projecting sign has been repurposed for Absolute Uniforms, and remnants of the Wolf’s lettering remain visible above the storefront. 09-26
Pawn Shop
Tucson, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The old Pawn Shop sign in Tucson still had a few tricks showing when photographed in the late 1990s. Remnants of bulbs and neon tubing clung to the weathered sign and its big directional arrow, offering clues to a much brighter roadside past. Imagine this fellow after dark with everything working. There would have been little doubt about which way to turn. 06-23
By then, missing lighting and years of desert weather had left the display looking rough. Still, the oversized arrow had enough personality to catch the eye without a single bulb glowing. The shop’s original name and exact location were not recorded.
UPDATE: The current status of the pawn shop and its vintage sign remains unknown. Neither its removal nor preservation has been confirmed. 09-26
Larriva's (Demolished)
Nogales, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The tall red and blue sign for Larriva’s made quite a roadside impression in Nogales. Its bold colors stood out above the storefront, giving passing travelers something to notice along Grand Avenue. This was the kind of sign that made finding an independent television and stereo store easy, even before anyone started looking for the street number. 06-23
Larriva’s offered considerably more than a new television for the living room. The business carried home appliances, electronics, hardware and sporting goods, making it a useful shopping stop for residents of the border community. Depending on the department, customers might find anything from a Whirlpool washing machine to a baseball bat.
The store handled familiar brands including Motorola, KitchenAid and Black & Decker. It recalls the days when local dealers supplied the household necessities, demonstrated the latest equipment and helped customers decide which model to take home. A big roadside sign brought people through the door, but there was plenty waiting inside.
Larriva's (Demolished)
Nogales, AZ Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The original sign’s installation date is unknown, and later business listings point to more than one Grand Avenue address. Whatever the exact timeline, that striking red and blue display gave Larriva’s a recognizable place along the Nogales roadside.
UPDATE: The original Larriva’s storefront has been demolished, and its towering sign is gone as well. The store’s closing and demolition dates remain unconfirmed. 09-26
Friendly Store Fountain and Sundries (Gone)
Gila Bend Welcomes You (99)
4 Amigos Super Discount Stores (Demolished)
4 Amigos Super Discount Stores (Demolished)
Wolf's Department Store (Gone)
Pawn Shop
Larriva's (Demolished)
Larriva's (Demolished)
