Tips
Red Bluff, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Another neon martini glass can be found on the marquee at Tip's in downtown Red Bluff. The double-sided sign hangs over the corner of Walnut and Jefferson streets, with the cocktail glass making it clear that this is a place for something a little stronger than coffee.

Tips has operated from the historic brick building since the early 1960s. It developed into a classic neighborhood dive bar with an unpretentious atmosphere, familiar regulars, and a cash-only policy that helps keep things refreshingly old school.

UPDATE: Tips remains open and is considered Tehama County’s oldest family-operated bar. The building and business are currently offered for sale as an operating tavern, so the neon martini glass continues to glow while the longtime owners look toward its next chapter. 09-26

The Palomino Room
Red Bluff, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out this neon sign and its varied lettering for The Palomino Room in Red Bluff, CA.

Varied lettering gives the neon sign at The Palomino Room plenty of personality. The flowing western-style Palomino script, blocky ROOM letters, and separate COCKTAILS panel somehow work together, creating a memorable nighttime landmark along Main Street in Red Bluff.

The Palomino Room opened in 1946 and became a longtime downtown gathering place for food, drinks, music, and dancing. Its western atmosphere fits the town nicely, while the old neon provides just enough roadside flash to bring people through the door.

UPDATE: The Palomino Room remains open under new ownership as the Palomino Room Featuring Taphouse Pizza Company. Pizza and other menu additions have joined the drinks and nightlife, while the familiar vintage neon sign continues to hang above Main Street. 09-26

Trails Charcoal Broiler (Closed)
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

With a name like Trails Charcoal Broiler, this Sacramento restaurant sounded like a promising place to stop for steak, ribs, or a burger fresh from the grill. The towering roadside sign added plenty of western character to the scene.

Trails opened in the early 1950s as part of a restaurant venture created by swimming star Esther Williams and her husband, Ben Gage. It later became a longtime family-operated neighborhood diner, with its delightfully dated interior surviving largely unchanged for decades.

UPDATE: Trails closed in September 2014 after more than 60 years. The building later became Shoki Ramen House, while the old Trails Charcoal Broiler sign was retained outside as a reminder of its tasty past. 09-26

Baggy’s By the Lake
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Just a block from Lake Merritt, the neon sign at Baggy’s By the Lake adds a little extra glow to this longtime Oakland watering hole. The neighborhood dive traces its history back to the 1930s, when it was reportedly known as Hank’s Tavern.

According to local lore, the Baggy’s name came from John “Baggy” Baglietto, a bookie who received an ownership stake after the original proprietor accumulated gambling debts. That is certainly one way for a bar to get a new name.

UPDATE: Baggy’s remains open, complete with its vintage neon sign, pool table, jukebox, and old-fashioned neighborhood atmosphere. 09-26