“Who” goes to the Club Inn in Stockton? An owl with a martini on its head, apparently. The bird winks from the sign on South San Joaquin Street, giving this old tavern marquee far more personality than a plain box of lettering ever could. It is the kind of sign that makes a camera come out before anyone thinks about going inside. 03-06
The address has had a few lives. An early hotel called the Ideal occupied the building, and a cigar shop operated at street level by 1930. By 1940, the storefront had become a bar called the Owl Club Inn. That explains the bird, even if the sign’s “Club Inn” lettering leaves part of the name out.
Club Inn
Stockgton, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
The tavern eventually closed, but the owl remained in place long enough to become a downtown curiosity. With its wink and unlikely cocktail hat, it is easy to see why the sign drew attention after the drinks stopped being served.
UPDATE: Older accounts say the owl sign survived the bar’s closure, but its present location has not been confirmed. The available records also do not establish when, or whether, the building was demolished. For now, the owl’s next perch remains a mystery. 09-26
Next time you're in Northern California, hope you give a hoot about the Club Inn. OK, courtesy laugh please.
Clover Club (Closed)
Redding, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
After dark on Market Street in Redding, the neon sign for the Clover Club gave the block a little extra glow. Its shamrock made an easy landmark near the Cascade Theatre, whether you were headed in for a drink or just passing through downtown. This was one of those signs worth looking up for before continuing along the street.
Phyllis McAdam opened the Clover Club in 1939, originally at another Market Street location. The bar later moved to this spot and stayed in the family for decades. Generations of customers knew it as a downtown place to pull up a stool and catch up. The Clover Club closed on Halloween in 2009, ending a 70-year run.
After the closure, the old bar space was renovated and reopened under other names. The familiar shamrock sign came down, leaving one less piece of neon along Market Street. The building, though, kept its connection to Redding nightlife.
UPDATE: The former Clover Club space is now home to 1724 Downtown Bar & Grill. Downtown preservation advocates have mentioned the shamrock sign as a possible future restoration project, but no return date has been announced. It would be good to see that clover glowing in Redding again. 09-26
Ivy Room
Albany, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
After dark on San Pablo Avenue in Albany, the neon at the Ivy Room gives the old Highway 40 corridor a little mystery. Light spills from the building and marquee, suggesting that the night inside might be more interesting than the drive home.
The Ivy Room has been around since the 1940s, but live music became a big part of its story. Blues, roots, country, and rock acts have all played here. It is a small room, which means a band can make the place feel full in a hurry.
UPDATE: The Ivy Room remains open as a live music venue, and its neon still lights San Pablo Avenue. Check the bill before passing by; there might be a good reason to stay out a little later. 09-26
Torch Club
Sacramento, CA Photo courtesy Devil Doll
Traveling through downtown Sacramento after dark, check out the neon outside the Torch Club. The sign has a cocktail glass up top and an arrow pointing the way in, a useful combination if you are looking for a drink and somewhere to spend the evening. It is a good sign to stop and photograph, especially once the glass and lettering light up.
The Torch Club opened in 1934, shortly after Prohibition ended. It began as a watering hole for people working around the state capital and moved several times over the decades. Its earlier addresses included stops on J Street and L Street before the club settled into its current home on 15th Street in 2000.
The neon sign came along for that last move. Seeing it outside a different building makes the marquee feel like part of the club rather than just part of the storefront. After all those years and address changes, the arrow is still pointing people toward the same name.
Torch Club
Sacramento, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
These days, music is as much a reason to come in as the cocktails. The small club has become a Sacramento stop for blues, folk, and other live acts. A look at the sign can turn into an evening spent listening to a band, which is a pretty good outcome for a roadside neon detour.
UPDATE: The Torch Club remains open on 15th Street, and its vintage neon sign is still lighting the entrance. Check the performance schedule before heading over; the martini glass may be glowing on a night when the music is, too. 09-26
The Torch Club is an interesting neon sign with ... yes a martini
glass in its marquee.
Hideaway (Gone)
Redwood City, CA Photo courtesy Jason Carlton
At the corner of Chestnut and Spring Streets in Redwood City, the sun-bleached sign for The Hideaway still had a martini glass to show for its cocktail lounge days. The colors may have faded, but the sign had enough character to make a stop worthwhile. It looked like a place that had been there through a few changes, with the old cocktail glass still doing its best to catch the eye.
The building had a life before the Hideaway. It opened as the Aviation Cafe in 1925, across from the old Redwood City Airport. Pilots, students, and passengers could stop there for coffee or a meal before heading back across the street. The airport disappeared long ago, but the cafe building stayed.
After the Andreini family sold the cafe in 1969, it became the Hideaway Lounge, offering cocktails and live music. Later, the name appeared as the Hideaway Family Restaurant. From airport cafe to cocktail lounge to family restaurant, the corner kept finding a reason to put something on the table.
UPDATE: The Hideaway is gone, and its martini glass sign is no longer on Chestnut Street. The building later housed Apatzingan. Reports that it was demolished in September 2026 could not be confirmed, so its present condition remains unclear. 09-26
Hotsy Totsy Club Albany, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Here is a daylight look at the Hotsy Totsy
Club on San Pablo Avenue in Albany. The marquee has an unmistakable vintage shape, but it is worth coming back after dark to see the neon take over. Happily, the sign still lights up.
The Hotsy Totsy has been around since the late 1930s. Inside, old booths, shuffleboard, and a jukebox share space with a cocktail menu that has grown more adventurous over the years. It is the kind of place where stopping for a photo of the sign could turn into staying for a drink.
UPDATE: The club remains open, and its neon marquee is still part of the nighttime scenery along San Pablo Avenue. If a letter happens to flicker out, the name may look a little different, but there is no mistaking the sign. 09-26
Club Inn
Club Inn
Clover Club (Closed)
Hideaway (Gone)
