Gale’s Central Club
Petaluma, CA Photo courtesy Rod Holcomb
Walking along Petaluma Boulevard, it is hard to argue with a sign that says SALOON in big vertical letters. No elaborate pitch, no need to explain what is inside. The neon gave the storefront a bright calling card after dark and made for a fine roadside photo in daylight, too. Sometimes one word does the job better than a whole marquee full of promises. 12-10
The sign belonged to Gale’s Central Club, which Bob Gale opened at this location in 1971. Warren Barber designed the neon, giving the neighborhood bar a piece of Petaluma signmaking history right above the entrance. Gale had operated other downtown businesses before this one, but the SALOON sign made this spot especially easy to pick out while passing by.
UPDATE: Gale’s Central Club is still listed at its longtime Petaluma Boulevard address. The SALOON sign’s current condition has not been confirmed, so the glow in the original photo cannot be counted on for a present-day night visit. Even so, it is a good reminder of when a single word in neon was all a bar needed to announce itself. 09-26
Candlerock Lounge
Sacramento, CA Photo courtesy Mike & Robyn Howard
Cruising along Watt Avenue in Sacramento, the butterfly roof at Country Club Lanes is a good reason to slow down. One side sweeps up, the other sweeps up to meet it, and the whole building seems ready to take flight. Tucked into this Space Age scene is the Candlerock Lounge, a spot for a drink and a game of pool before or after a few frames next door. 07-11
Country Club Lanes began welcoming bowlers in 1959, with the lounge joining the complex for its 1960 grand opening. The roof and angled facade were made to catch the eye from the road, and they still do. There is plenty going on inside, too: bowling lanes, billiards, and a bar give visitors a few ways to spend the evening. A quick stop to look at the building could easily turn into a longer stay.
UPDATE: The Candlerock Lounge & Billiards remains part of the operating Country Club Lanes complex. The butterfly roof is still there along Watt Avenue, looking every bit as lively as a place built for bowling ought to. 09-26
Yolo Club (Gone)
Stockton,
CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Traveling along West Capitol Avenue, the old sign for the Yolo Club once offered a good reason to pull over. The club stood on a stretch of road that carried Highway 40 traffic, where a bold roadside sign had plenty of chances to catch the eye. Despite the “Stockton” label on the original page, this stop was in West Sacramento.
The Yolo Club was known for barbecue spare ribs, chicken, and steaks. A later restaurant, the Western Rib House, kept the Yolo name and advertised a tangy barbecue sauce said to follow the original recipe. That sounds like the sort of detail a hungry traveler might remember longer than the drive itself.
Yolo Club
Stockton,
CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
By the time the building became Puerto Azul, the old sign had been altered. It was eventually removed, taking another piece of West Capitol Avenue’s roadside scenery with it. The restaurant names changed, but the building continued to find new uses.
UPDATE: Salam Market now occupies the former Yolo Club site. The ribs and the vintage sign are gone, though the old Highway 40 address remains a place to stop for something to eat. 09-26
Gino and Carlo
San Francisco, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
Wondering what’s behind the glowing Gino & Carlo sign? This is a North Beach neighborhood bar, with drinks, pool, and sports inside and a fine neon advertisement outside. A little more going on here than the two names might first suggest.
The bar opened in 1942 inside a former boarding house. The original Gino and Carlo eventually moved on, but their names stayed above the door. According to the business’s own history, even their last names became lost along the way.
Donato Rossi and bocce player Aldino Cuneo took over in 1956. Donato’s brother Frank joined him in 1968, beginning a family tradition that continues today. Plenty of neighborhood evenings have passed beneath that marquee since then.
UPDATE: Gino & Carlo remains open in North Beach under the longtime family operation. The bar still advertises daily hours from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., giving this familiar stop a rather lengthy working day. 10-26
Gale’s Central Club
Candlerock Lounge
Yolo Club (Gone)
Yolo Club
