Ellis Brooks Chevrolet
San Francisco, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Check out this roadside gem along San Francisco’s old Auto Row. Ellis Brooks Chevrolet filled the corner of Van Ness and Bush with cars, showroom windows, and plenty of neon. The best part was up on the roof, where the Ellis Brooks name glowed above the traffic. Rooftop signs were once a common sight along busy city streets, but neon examples like this one have become pretty hard to find.
The neon still glows at Ellis Brooks Chevrolet. Rooftop signage
were all the rage once upon a time, but now are getting rare, especially
those of the neon variety.
Ellis Brooks started his automobile business in 1939 and began selling Chevrolets in 1955. The dealership moved into this seven-story Van Ness Avenue building in 1963, becoming a familiar sight to anyone making their way through the city.
Ellis Brooks Chevrolet
San Francisco, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
The dealership was also known for its television commercials and a promise that customers would receive a five-pound can of coffee if they found a better deal somewhere else. Five pounds of coffee might not make up for missing out on a bargain, but it would certainly keep everyone awake while shopping for the next car.
UPDATE: Ellis Brooks stopped selling new GM vehicles in 2008 and moved out of the large Van Ness Avenue showroom in 2011. The building reopened as a Nissan and Infiniti dealership the following year. Its rooftop sign structure remains, but the original Ellis Brooks neon lettering and Chevrolet signage were removed. 09-26
Val Strough Chevrolet (Gone)
Oakland, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Heading along Oakland’s old Auto Row, check out the towering neon sign for Val Strough Chevrolet. This was not one of those little signs hiding next to the driveway. The stacked lettering stood high above Broadway, shining brightly and making sure motorists knew exactly where to find the latest Chevrolets.
Val Strough opened the dealership in 1935 after spending about 20 years with the Chevrolet Motor Company. The business grew into one of the larger dealers along Broadway, with a multi-level showroom, service departments, and plenty of new cars lined up around the corner of 34th Street.
The big neon tower was the real roadside attraction. With the Val Strough name across the top and Chevrolet glowing below, it added plenty of nighttime color to Oakland’s busy automobile district. No need to check the address. Just look up and follow the neon.
UPDATE: Val Strough Chevrolet left the Broadway location, and Honda of Oakland took over the property in 2005. The dealership complex remains in automobile use, but the towering Val Strough neon sign was dismantled during the transition and is no longer standing. 09-26
Cal West Motors San Leandro, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Cruising along East 14th Street in San Leandro, check out the wild roadside sign for Cal
West Motors. With its curved boomerang shape, angled panels, and glowing outline, this one looks like it may have drifted in from another decade. It certainly gives the rows of used cars something colorful to gather around after dark.
Cal West Motors has operated at this location since 1981, but the sign appears to be much older than the dealership. It was likely built for an earlier business and later adapted with the Cal West name. Exactly what it advertised before that remains a bit of a roadside mystery.
The sign originally used real neon tubing around the lettering and along its unusual outer frame. That nighttime glow made it an easy photo stop, especially after the sun went down and the curves began lighting up over the car lot.
UPDATE: Cal West Motors remains open, and the old sign still stands above East 14th Street. The original glass neon was removed around 2014 and replaced with flexible LED tubing designed to look like neon. It may no longer have the real thing, but the sign still puts on a colorful show after dark. 09-26
G&G Motors (Closed)
Stockton, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Cruising along Wilson Way in Stockton, check out the old neon sign for G&G Used Cars. Also known as G & G Motors, the dealership had a simple roadside setup with a small office, a lot full of used cars, and a tall sign waiting to catch the attention of passing motorists.
Wilson Way once carried U.S. Route 99 through Stockton, so this was a good place for a car lot hoping to reel in highway traffic. The glowing G&G lettering stood above the rows of windshields and gave the dealership a little nighttime flash. Nothing too fancy, but that was part of the charm.
Once upon a time, neon signs like this could be found above used car lots all along the highway. Pull off the road, check the price painted on the windshield, and maybe drive away in something newer than the car that brought you there.
UPDATE: G&G Used Cars is gone, but the property at 845 N. Wilson Way continues to sell automobiles as S&S Auto Sales and BabaCars.com. 09-26
Frank Andrews Used Cars (Closed)
Roseville, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Check out the neon at Frank Andrews Used Cars. in Roseville. The big lettering lights up the car lot, while a smaller emblem promises shoppers a “Safe Buy.” Nothing like a little neon reassurance when checking out the latest set of wheels.
The “Safe Buy” emblem is the best part of the sign. It looks almost like an official seal, glowing away above the rows of cars and adding a little extra flash to the usual used car lot scenery. Throw in the bright showroom windows, windshields, and chrome catching the neon, and the place has plenty to look at after dark.
This is the kind of sign that could turn a routine drive through town into a quick roadside photo stop. Pull over, get the shot, and try not to come home with another car.
UPDATE: Frank Andrews Used Cars is gone, and the business now operates under a different name. The old roadside sign remains, but it has been altered for the current dealership and no longer has its original Frank Andrews appearance. 09-26
Menlo Honda (Gone)
Menlo Park, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Check out the roadside marquee for Menlo Honda along El Camino Real. The middle portion of the sign had already been replaced with a newer Honda panel by the time of this photo, leaving plenty of room to wonder what the whole thing looked like in its earlier days.
Luckily, the best part was still hanging around up top. A little mechanic figure stood inside a glowing neon frame, watching over the traffic and adding some personality to an otherwise ordinary dealership sign. Why settle for just the Honda name when a tiny neon guy can help sell the cars?
Menlo Honda had an unusual beginning. The business grew out of a local bicycle shop known as Menlo Bike, which began selling Honda motorcycles before eventually becoming a full automobile dealership. Despite the Menlo name, the longtime dealership was actually located at 601 El Camino Real in neighboring Redwood City.
Menlo Honda (Gone)
Menlo Park, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
UPDATE: Sadly, the neon "little guy" no
longer sits atop the Menlo Honda sign. The rest of the sign is still there,
just the neon figure has been removed. Many thanks
to Mark Pedersen for update. 04-03
UPDATE: The neon mechanic was removed from the top of the sign in April 2003, and its whereabouts are unknown. Menlo Honda later became Honda Redwood City before the dealership closed. The remaining marquee structure has also been removed from the property. 09-26
Ellis Brooks Chevrolet
Ellis Brooks Chevrolet
G&G Motors (Closed)
Menlo Honda (Gone)
Menlo Honda (Gone)
