Snack n' Bottle (Gone)
Seaside, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

The name Snack n' Bottle pretty much supplies the shopping list at this Seaside store. Its backlit plastic sign offered a straightforward invitation to stop for something to eat and something to take home.

Signs like this became familiar above neighborhood markets, lighting the lettering from inside the box. The design may have been simpler than a custom neon marquee, but the name had enough personality to make the stop memorable. A snack first, and the rest could be decided at the counter.

UPDATE: The Broadway Avenue storefront was renovated and renamed Seaside Liquors. The old Snack n' Bottle sign was removed during the change, ending its turn above the neighborhood shop. 09-26

Vacaville U Save Liquors
Vacaville, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Yes, Vacaville has a U Save Liquors, and the marquee gives the name an interesting frame. Its angular shape adds a little flair to the sales pitch, making the sign worth a look even when there's nothing to pick up inside.

Established in 1970, the Merchant Street store has been part of the local shopping scene for decades. The sign recalls an era when independent retailers used bold shapes and conspicuous lettering to catch motorists moving along the street.

UPDATE: U Save Liquors remains open on Merchant Street, with its distinctive roadside marquee still standing. The old shape continues to give the store a recognizable place along the route. 09-26

Liquor Store
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

An old blade sign projects from this Oakland liquor store, putting its message where passing motorists and pedestrians could spot it. Straightforward lettering and a perch above the sidewalk were often all a neighborhood shop needed to announce itself. No need to squeeze the whole sales pitch into the front window.

The sign gives the storefront a little character beyond the usual advertisements for beer and wine. Mounted perpendicular to the building, it could catch someone approaching from either direction before they reached the entrance.

These neighborhood signs often became familiar parts of the daily trip down the street. Even a store without a name in the photo caption can leave behind a memorable bit of roadside scenery.

UPDATE: The photograph records the projecting blade sign above the storefront, preserving its appearance during the store's earlier days. 09-26

Quarts n' Pints Liquor
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

The name Quarts n' Pints Liquor gets right to the shopping possibilities at this San Francisco neighborhood store. Its illuminated sign adds a little brightness to Noriega Street, announcing a stop for bottles and everyday provisions.

Established in 1954, the shop has served the Outer Sunset through decades of neighborhood changes. The name recalls a time when quarts and pints were familiar measures at the liquor counter, long before the selection needed quite so much shelf space.

UPDATE: Quarts n' Pints remains in business on Noriega Street. The longtime shop and its illuminated marquee continue to be part of the neighborhood scene. 09-26

Broadway Cigars & Liquors
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Cigars and liquor get their billing outside Broadway Cigars & Liquors in San Francisco. The overhead marquee and sidewalk-facing advertisements give passersby plenty to look at, with little doubt about what can be picked up inside.

Located where Broadway meets Columbus Avenue, the shop sits amid the busy streets connecting North Beach and Chinatown. It's a good spot for a storefront sign to get some attention, whether from motorists waiting at the corner or pedestrians making their way along Broadway.

UPDATE: Broadway Cigars & Liquors remains open at the Broadway and Columbus corner. Its storefront marquee and neon continue to mark the longtime neighborhood stop. 09-26

Black and White Liquor
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

For a place called Black and White Liquor, this Oakland store puts quite a bit of red into its marquee. The arrow points the way toward the entrance, adding another familiar touch from the days when a sign could practically escort customers inside. Guess black and white needed a little company.

The bold colors helped the lettering stand out along Fruitvale Avenue. A little roadside showmanship for a neighborhood shopping stop, with the arrow handling the directions. Even someone passing through without a shopping list could find a reason to give the sign a second look.

Arrows like this once pointed toward everything from motel rooms to a quick bite to eat. Here, the destination was a corner liquor store, giving an everyday errand a bit of old roadside flair.

UPDATE: The corner storefront continues as a neighborhood market, with its distinctive marquee remaining outside. The red accents still get their share of attention despite the name. 09-26

Dutton Liquors (Gone)
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Sneak a peek at the old Dutton Liquors marquee along East 14th Street. The store took its name from nearby Dutton Avenue, keeping the introduction and a bit of the directions together. A handy arrangement for anyone trying to remember which corner to stop at.

Though originally captioned as Oakland, the storefront sits across the city line in San Leandro. East 14th Street carried generations of travelers through the East Bay, with liquor shops, markets, and places to eat lining the busy route.

The old marquee recalls those shopping stops before freeway travel changed the rounds. Signs above the storefronts competed for attention, giving each little business a chance to stand out. After enough trips along the street, the Dutton name probably needed little introduction.

UPDATE: Dutton Liquors has closed. The marquee is gone. 09-26

Liquor Wine
Pleasanton, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

“Liquors” and “Wines” glow on this Liquor Store Sign, making a simple announcement with a little neon flair. No elaborate sales pitch needed when the lettering could shine out toward the street.

Signs like this gave an ordinary storefront something worth noticing after dark. The words may be familiar, but the glow adds a touch that daytime lettering doesn't quite manage.

UPDATE: The photo records this neon advertisement in Pleasanton. The store's name and exact location remain unconfirmed. 09-26