Escalon Club (Gone)
Escalon, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

A neon cocktail glass once greeted visitors to the Escalon Club on Main Street. Below it, the sign offered another clue about what was inside: its bottom panel first advertised a “Bottle Shop” and later read “Coffee Shop.” A drink or a cup of coffee? Either way, it was a good sign to spot while passing through town.

The Escalon Club had been around long enough for its sign to appear by the early 1950s. It stayed out front through the years when Tommy Joyce ran the place, becoming a familiar piece of Main Street. Even after the bar closed, the cocktail glass kept its place above the sidewalk for another decade.

UPDATE: A heavy rainstorm caused the club’s roof to collapse in 1998, ending the business. The sign was still there when photographed in 2008, but it has since been removed. There’s no longer a neon martini glass to greet visitors on Main Street. 09-26

The Lanai Bar (Demolished)
San Mateo, CA
Photo courtesy Michael Campbell

The Lanai Bar featured an eye-catching palm sign when it was in business back in the day. The Lanai, a glorious Tiki bar in the 1950s style, was demolished in 1989 to make way for a Walgreens. The Lanai was located along El Camino Real in San Mateo. Many thanks to Michael Campbell for info. 02-09

The Lanai closed in 1988 and was demolished during redevelopment of the site. Its palm tree sign was lost. The Lanai Liquors sign that surfaced years later belonged to the neighboring store.

UPDATE: The restaurant and its neon palm are gone. El Camino Real looks a little less tropical without them. 09-26

St. Marys Pub
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Michael Campbell

San Francisco, CA is home to yet another fine roadside pub sign. The St. Marys Pub features what appears to be an old neon sign that's protected by a plastic shield. Check out the requisite martini glass on top of the sign. Many thanks to Michael Campbell for info. 07-09

St. Mary’s has served the neighborhood since the 1930s. Inside, there is a pool table, a jukebox, and plenty of room for a conversation that lasts longer than planned. It has the comfortable feel of a place where people come back because they know what they will find.

UPDATE: The pub remains open, and its old neon sign still hangs above the entrance. The martini glass continues to mark the corner for anyone passing along Mission Street. 09-26

The Peaks
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

At the corner of Castro and 24th Streets, the sign for The Peaks has a little character peeking out from it. Is that a bear? Whatever the creature is, it gives this Noe Valley pub a friendly face for people passing by. Take a closer look at the sign before heading inside. That small detail is easy to miss if you are hurrying past the corner. 07-09

The Peaks has been a neighborhood hangout for decades, with a pool table, darts, and plenty of regulars. There is something nice about a bar where you can drop in for one drink and end up staying for a game. With all the activity along 24th Street, it is a handy place to take a break and see who is around.

UPDATE: The Peaks remains open at its longtime Castro Street corner. The little character on the sign still makes this local bar easy to pick out, whether you are meeting someone inside or just passing through Noe Valley. 09-26

The Eight Ball
Cotati, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

Coming off the highway in Cotati, look up for the rooftop eight ball at the 8 Ball Tavern. The neon ball sits high enough to catch your eye from a distance, making the little bar on Charles Street easier to find than its side-street address might suggest. It is a fine sign for a place where a game of pool is always a possibility. 07-09

The tavern dates back to 1937. According to local lore, it got its name from a battered eight ball found in the rafters when the building was going up. True or not, the story suits the place. Inside are pool tables and the easygoing feel of a bar that has seen many Cotati evenings come and go.

UPDATE: New owners took over in 2026 and kept the tavern going. The rooftop eight ball remains its calling card, while food trucks now add another reason to stop by. If the sign draws you off the road, you can stay for a drink and see whether a pool table is free. 09-26

Liar's Bench
Placerville, CA
Photo courtesy Michael Campbells

Check out this martini glass sign at the Liar's Bench in Placerville, CA. I wonder where the origins of the name Liar's Bench came from. Many thanks to Michael Campbell for info. 07-09

Strolling along Main Street in Placerville, the sign for The Liar’s Bench seems right at home among the old Gold Rush buildings. The bar occupies a stone building once known as the Ohio House, where travelers could find lodging and a meal. Its Main Street frontage has seen plenty of changes since then, but it is still a place to step off the sidewalk and settle in for a drink. The sign above the storefront looks to date from the 1950s or 1960s.

UPDATE: The Liar’s Bench remains open, and its sign still marks the spot. Stop in, pull up a seat, and decide for yourself how much of the next story to believe. 09-26

Old Ironsides
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

At the corner of 10th and S Streets, the neon lettering for Old Ironsides still catches the eye. “Mixed Drinks” glows on the sign, offering a straightforward invitation to step inside this Sacramento bar. 07-09

Old Ironsides opened in 1934, after Bill Bordisso obtained Sacramento’s first liquor license following Prohibition. It later became a favorite live music stop, with bands including Cake and Sublime playing there over the years.

UPDATE: Old Ironsides remains open, with live shows on the calendar and its vintage corner sign still in place. The neon continues to point the way after dark. 09-26

Pete's (Gone)
Stockton, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

On Wilson Way in Stockton, a tire shop once made clever use of an old sign. The marquee for Pete’s still had a martini glass, but Wilson Way Tire Co. put a wheel inside it. That is one way to let passing drivers know the drinks have been replaced by tires. 10-09

Little is confirmed about Pete’s or when it closed. The altered sign offered a clue to the property’s earlier life, even after the tire business had taken over. The wheel and cocktail glass made an odd pair, which is exactly what made them worth a second look.

UPDATE: Tires Direct now operates at the Wilson Way address. The distinctive top of the old sign was already gone by 2009, and the status of any remaining signwork is unclear. 09-26