Frank's Shoe Repair
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the boot-shaped neon sign attributed to Frank’s Shoe Repair in San Francisco. Red neon traces the outline and laces, while “SHOE REPAIRING” gets the message across inside. Here’s a shoe that didn’t need to go anywhere to catch someone’s attention.

The shape did a good part of the advertising before a passerby even read the words. Worn heels, loose soles, or a favorite pair needing another chance could bring customers through the door. Meanwhile, that glowing boot gave the sidewalk a little extra character after dark.

UPDATE: Not sure what’s become of this particular Frank’s shop or its neon boot. Several businesses used the name around San Francisco, so the closing date is still a little hazy. Hopefully, someone gave that old sign another chance, just like the shoes it advertised. 10-26

Montclair Liquors (Gone)
Stockton, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

As the daylight fades in Stockton, the Montclair Liquors marquee takes over. Sitting at the edge of a strip center, the sign adds its own colors to the evening sky. Here’s a good reason to wait a little longer before putting the camera away.

The old neon gave this neighborhood liquor store a presence beyond its storefront. While customers stopped for something to take home, passing sign hunters could enjoy the glow without buying a bottle.

UPDATE: Around 2018, the neon was removed and the sign was repainted for USA Liquor. The old structure got another job, but Montclair’s colorful nighttime display didn’t make the transition. Another familiar glow lost along the Stockton roadside. 10-26

Main Street Liquors (Gone)
Pleasanton, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Check out the old Main Street Liquors sign in downtown Pleasanton. The red casing and glowing “LIQUORS” lettering made the main announcement, while the round panel above added cigars, ice-cold beer, and wines to the shopping list. Apparently, one sign could cover quite a few requests.

The shop occupied the Arendt Commission House, whose history reaches back to 1893. The original mercantile sold groceries, clothing, shoes, farm supplies, and building materials. The building had a few other surprises, too. Its basement was used for curing meat, while the upstairs served as a meeting hall for the Druids fraternal order. Feed, hardware, and furniture businesses followed over the years before a major rebuilding project began in 1984, using some of the original bricks to retain the old downtown appearance.

UPDATE: Main Street Liquors has closed, and the vintage marquee is reported removed, though the exact dates are still a little hazy. 10-26

Gem Auto Wash (Gone)
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Need to wash a little road dust off the car? This Gem Auto Wash sign in Sacramento points toward a stop for just that. Car washes had their own place among the glowing advertisements along the boulevard, offering motorists a cleaner ride and sign hunters something to check out.

UPDATE: The Freeport Boulevard location continues as GEM Express Car Wash. but the sign is not here. The family-owned business also used to operate a Fruitridge Road location which appears to have been demolished. 10-26

Russian River Realty
Guerneville, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out the glow from the Russian River Realty marquee in Guerneville. Real estate offices don’t always come with a sign worth stopping for after dark, but this one adds a little neon to the business of finding a place to call home. Even someone just passing through could appreciate the advertisement without making a down payment.

The agency dates back to 1939, giving the name a long connection to the Russian River community. That’s quite a stretch of house hunting, vacation properties, and changing storefronts around town. Through it all, the old marquee gave the office something more memorable than a window full of property listings.

There’s a little appeal in finding a glowing real estate sign among the usual restaurant and cocktail marquees. This one wasn’t offering dinner or a room for the night, although it might have helped someone find a place for a much longer stay.

UPDATE: Russian River Realty continues to operate in Guerneville, carrying a business name established more than 85 years ago. Not sure whether every part of the old marquee still lights up these days. Hopefully, there’s still a little glow waiting along Main Street after sunset. 10-26

East Lawn
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

A glowing clock at a cemetery entrance? Check out this one at East Lawn in Sacramento. It’s a useful roadside timepiece, although the setting gives watching the minutes pass a slightly different feel. Kinda eerie, especially when the neon is glowing and the grounds beyond have gone dark.

East Lawn opened in 1904, making it part of Sacramento’s landscape well before neon became a familiar roadside sight. The entrance clock appears to date from the 1930s, adding a little illuminated character to an already established cemetery.

UPDATE: East Lawn remains in operation after more than 120 years, and its historic entrance clock is still featured by the cemetery. Not sure how faithfully the hands are keeping time these days, but the old timepiece remains part of East Lawn’s identity. A rather unusual roadside clock to keep an eye out for. 10-26

Plaza Center (Gone)
Lafayette, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Heading through Lafayette after dark, check out the Plaza Center sign. Shopping centers could make an entrance with more than a row of storefronts, and this glowing roadside marker gave customers something to recognize from the boulevard.

Construction began in 1963 under developer Russell Bruzzone. Plans called for 20 stores, a decorative fountain, olive trees, and 377 parking spaces. Early tenants included an ice cream shop, a barber, a camera store, and The Shoe Stable. Plenty of errands could be worked into one stop.

UPDATE: The Plaza Center sign received a facelift reported in August 2021, complete with a working clock. Its original neon-outlined letters were replaced with thicker, backlit lettering. The familiar sign structure survived, but the nighttime look changed with the makeover. 10-26

Plaza Center
Hayward, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

Here’s another roadside night delight at Plaza Center in Hayward. The illuminated sign gives the shopping and office complex a little extra presence along Foothill Boulevard. Even when the day’s errands are finished, there’s still something out front worth a look. 10-09

This Plaza Center combines retail space with a seven-story office tower, giving the sign a sizeable development to announce. Shoppers and office workers might have different destinations inside, but they share the same roadside marker on the way in.

UPDATE: Plaza Center continues in use as an office and retail complex managed by R. Zaballos & Sons. Not sure whether all the lighting shown in this older photo still puts on the same nighttime display. Hopefully, the sign is still giving Foothill Boulevard a little glow. 10-26