Stephen's Meat Products

Lucca Center
Sebastopol, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Cruising through Sebastopol, check out the Lucca Center and its red-and-white sign out front. Here’s a roadside marker that gives a commercial stop a little character of its own. The color combination catches the eye, offering something to notice beyond the shops themselves.

Shopping-center signs were part of the everyday scenery, pointing the way to errands that usually didn’t call for bringing a camera. Pick up a few things, head back to the car, and go about the day. For the roadside sign hunter, though, that familiar marquee could be the best find on the shopping list.

There’s a certain appeal to these modest commercial signs. They don’t have to tower over the highway or feature a giant figure to deserve a photo. Sometimes a bit of color and an old center name are enough to make a passing driver slow down for another look.

UPDATE: This view captures the Lucca Center’s red-and-white marquee, preserving a little piece of Sebastopol’s everyday roadside scenery. 09-26

Radio TV
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out this old Radio TV sign in San Francisco, with lettering that looks almost as though it was written out in crayon. Just two words and a little personality, recalling the days when getting the television fixed meant a trip to the neighborhood repair shop.

UPDATE: The old photo captures the sign’s unusual lettering, a small reminder of San Francisco’s neighborhood storefronts. 09-26

Scarborough Lumber
Boulder Creek, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Along Highway 9 in Boulder Creek, check out the Scarborough Lumber sign and its skinny lumberjack cutting some wood. Here’s a fellow who gets the business’s point across without much explanation. A lumberyard sign with its own woodcutter is always worth a second look.

The Scarborough business dates back to 1957, when Gene Scarborough took over Standard Lumber in Scotts Valley before expanding into other Santa Cruz Mountains communities.

UPDATE: Scarborough Lumber continues operating in Boulder Creek as an Ace Hardware-affiliated lumber and building-supply business. The lumberjack sign survives alongside Highway 9. 09-26

Art Shade Shop
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Looking for window shades while wandering through San Francisco? Check out the Art Shade Shop and its projecting storefront sign. Here’s one of those specialty-shop marquees that makes an everyday errand look a little more interesting.

Established in 1934, the business specializes in custom window shades, drapery, and repairs. Its corner storefront at 14th and Church streets fits right into the neighborhood, with the old sign calling attention to a trade that long predates the nearby modern shops.

UPDATE: Art Shade Shop remains open in San Francisco, and its classic projecting sign survives. 09-26

Farmer's Insurance
Alameda, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Check out this old Farmers Insurance sign in Alameda, a throwback to an earlier era of neighborhood insurance offices. The familiar shield emblem gives the marquee its identity, adding a little roadside character to a business usually associated with paperwork.

Insurance signs were part of the everyday commercial scenery, alongside the dry cleaners, barbershops, and corner markets. They might not have promised a hot meal or a room for the night, but some still had enough personality to earn a spot in the photo collection.

UPDATE: This old view captures the Farmers Insurance shield sign in Alameda, a reminder of the days when even the local insurance office had a marquee worth a second look. 09-26

Peacock Gift Shop (Closed)
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

A little birdwatching while wandering through San Francisco? Check out the Peacock Gift Shop, where a peacock emblem adds some flair to the marquee. Here’s a shop that gave passersby something to look at before they even reached the window display.

The name and bird make a fitting pair. Peacocks aren’t exactly known for blending into the background, and this one had the job of drawing attention to a gift shop. A bit of personality out front can go a long way, especially on a street full of competing storefronts.

Gift shops invite a look around, even when there’s nothing particular on the shopping list. There might be something for a friend, a souvenir for the shelf, or just a few minutes spent browsing. For anyone collecting roadside sights, the peacock outside could be the souvenir to take home in a photograph.

UPDATE: The Peacock Gift Shop is listed as closed. 09-26