Stephen's Meat Products

Oakland Parking Sign
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Check out this old Oakland Parking sign, pointing motorists toward a place to leave the car. Parking signs like this were part of the downtown scenery, tucked among the marquees for shops, theaters, and restaurants. Before browsing the storefronts or catching a movie, there was the little matter of finding somewhere to park.

These signs had a practical job, but they could still add some personality to the street. A parking entrance might be easy to miss among all those businesses, especially with traffic moving along and another driver close behind. An easy-to-spot roadside marker helped steer motorists off the street and toward an empty space.

Here’s one of those everyday advertisements that often went unnoticed until signs of its kind started disappearing. No dinner special or coming attraction to announce, just a place to leave the car before heading out on foot. Sometimes even the parking signs deserve a second look.

Western Appliance (Closed)
San Jose, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Heading through San Jose, check out the towering Western Appliance sign. With its enormous arrow and three spikes reaching skyward, this appliance dealer certainly knew how to catch a motorist’s attention. Installed in 1962, the sign became a familiar sight along West San Carlos Street.

Those spikes originally carried flashing lights, and their debut was quite an event. According to the company’s own history, the Highway Patrol asked that the lights be switched off within 45 minutes after two drivers reported being distracted and crashed on Highway 17. Colored covers toned down the brightness, but caused the bulbs to overheat. So much for that particular light show.

UPDATE: Western Appliance closed in 2020, but the big sign survives. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake knocked loose two of its three light canisters, and the remaining one was removed. It was the lights that disappeared, rather than the entire roadside landmark. 09-26

Rhea's Salon (Gone)
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Here’s a colorful old marquee for Rhea’s Salon of Beauty in Oakland. Even the wording has a little personality. “Salon of Beauty” sounds right at home among the specialty shops that once filled neighborhood shopping streets, with an appointment for a wash and set waiting behind the door.

The sign outlasted the salon itself, hanging on after the beauty business had disappeared. For a while, this was one of those roadside finds where the advertisement survived longer than the shop it advertised.

UPDATE: Rhea’s vintage sign was removed around 2018. The salon had already been gone for years before its old marquee finally came down. 09-26

Burris Window Shades
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Check out the old Burris Window Shades sign in Oakland. Its streamlined appearance gives a little extra character to a business selling something as practical as window shades. No giant roadside attraction here, just a specialty shop announcing what it does with a sign worth a second look.

Burris has a longer history than the modest storefront might suggest. Established in 1917, the business was already helping Oakland customers cover their windows well before the heyday of these neighborhood commercial signs.

UPDATE: Burris Window Shades remains in business, offering shades, screens, and lighting controls. The company passed its 100th anniversary in 2017, giving this old Oakland name more than a century of history. The current condition of the photographed sign has not been confirmed. 09-26

Tower Records Sign
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the dancing pair on this Tower Records sign in Sacramento. These neon kids weren’t content to stand still. Their legs appeared to move back and forth while flashing musical bars kept the roadside dance going, all perched above a record.

Created in 1949 by Zeon Electrical Products Corporation for Clayton and Russ Solomon, the sign belongs to Tower’s early days at the drugstore site that later became Tower Cafe. Sacramento even made an exception to its restriction on animated signs for this particular neon display. Apparently, these two dancers earned a little special treatment.

UPDATE: The original Dancing Kids sign was moved indoors. In 2026, Sacramento approved keeping the historic sign inside the Tower District offices and approved an outdoor replica. That gives the original protection from the weather while allowing for a replacement at its familiar roadside location. Installation of the replica has not been confirmed. 09-26

U Save
Grass Valley, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Standing tall in Grass Valley, this old U Save sign makes its sales pitch with just a couple of words. Here’s a roadside marker that didn’t need a lengthy slogan to get the point across. The name promised savings, while the freestanding sign made sure passing motorists knew where to pull in.

The business behind the name was a bottle shop selling beer, wine, and spirits. Newspaper advertisements from 1965 and 1966 placed the Grass Valley store at the Purity Center shopping area, giving this old sign a connection to the town’s mid-century shopping scene. Those ads also listed a U-Save in nearby Auburn, so the Grass Valley shop had company down the highway.

UPDATE: Not sure when this place closed. 09-26

MP Variety (Gone)
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Check out the faded M.P. Variety sign in Oakland. “Variety” leaves plenty to the imagination, suggesting a shop where several small errands could be taken care of under one roof. The weathered lettering gives this old storefront advertisement much of its character, even after its brighter days had passed.

UPDATE: It sure appears that the MP Variety has disappeared off the roadside landscape. M.P. Variety and its old sign are both gone. A firm closure or sign-removal date has not been located. 09-26

Paul's Shoe Repair
Berkeley, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Need a little more mileage out of those favorite shoes? Paul’s Shoe Repair in Berkeley has been helping East Bay customers do just that since 1958. This is the kind of neighborhood specialty shop where worn soles and tired heels can get another chance.

There’s more to the business than a quick polish. Paul’s also handles orthopedic and work footwear, keeping the focus on shoes that need to fit properly and stand up to everyday use. A practical little stop with decades behind its name.

UPDATE: Paul’s Shoe Repair continues to operate in Berkeley. Established in 1958, the business has been serving East Bay customers for more than six decades. 09-26