Andy's Pet Shop
San Jose, CA
Photo courtesy Chet Wilson

Check out the colorful neon bird at Andy's Pet Shop in San Jose. Perched above the old Alameda storefront, this parrot gave passing motorists a pretty good hint of what waited inside. No feathers needed to put on a show after dark.

Andy and Geraldine Camilleri opened the shop in 1950, taking over a building that had once housed the California Highway Patrol. Quite a change in occupants, with pets replacing patrol officers. The shop left The Alameda in 2010 and eventually settled on South Bascom Avenue. The old bird made the trip, too, returning to the storefront after a restoration. Inside, a resident macaw named Baby supplies the feathers.

UPDATE: The neon hum of the marquee at Andy's Pet Shop is fizzing out after 59 years at its present location along The Alameda in San Jose, CA. Andy's and its oft photographed neon sign opened in 1950 as a pet store and converted to an animal adoption center in 2007. According to the San Jose Mercury News, owner Lissa Shoun is hoping for community donations that will allow her to operate the business at a different location. Word is that the neon sign is now in storage. 12-09

UPDATE: Andy's celebrated its expanded Bascom Avenue shop in September 2026, with the restored neon parrot back on display. 09-26

Ideal Cleaners
Oakland, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Here's an ideal excuse to stop along an Oakland street after dark. The neon at Ideal Cleaners spreads across the front of the shop, giving a routine laundry stop a little more glow than expected.

The lettering and illuminated frontage work together, so there's more to look at than the business name alone. Take a step back to catch the whole arrangement before moving in for the details. Inside, the business is cleaning, pressing, and alterations. Outside, the neon does a pretty good job of getting attention without a single shirt coming off a hanger.

UPDATE: Ideal Cleaners is still open, and its neon storefront remains. 09-26

Eagles Hall
Alameda, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Check out the glow from Eagles Hall in Alameda. The projecting neon marquee puts on quite a show after dark, with enough light to catch the eye from well down the street.

The double-sided blade gives approaching visitors a view from either direction. Finding the hall at night probably wasn't much of a problem when this sign was fully lit.

The marquee dates to around 1955, when the local Eagles chapter remodeled its hall. Apparently the improvements included making sure everyone could spot the entrance.

There's no need to have a meeting on the calendar to appreciate the sign. A pass along Alameda Avenue after sunset could supply a good reason to pull over.

UPDATE: Eagles Hall remains active, and the neon marquee survives. It's always good to see a neon sign survive. 09-26

Yahoo (Gone)
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Matt Walsh

Need a place to check in? The big Yahoo! sign near San Francisco's freeway approach borrowed the look of an old motel marquee, though there weren't any rooms waiting beneath it.

The sign went up in 1999, mixing a dot-com name with roadside styling from an earlier era. “Where the world checks in daily” made the motel resemblance part of the joke.

A secondary panel carried changing messages, including cheers for the Giants. That gave regular commuters something new to glance at while the big Yahoo lettering stayed overhead.

For travelers coming toward the Bay Bridge, it became a familiar part of the view. A little motel-sign spirit planted beside the freeway, with the check-in happening somewhere online.

UPDATE: The original marquee came down in December 2011. A later flat replacement is gone, too. 09-26

John's Towata Flowers (Gone)
Alameda, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Here's a flower shop that gave the street some color even after the bouquets were harder to see. John's Towata Flowersin Alameda combined flowing neon lettering with illuminated bands across the frontage.

The sign was only part of the show. Step back a little and the lights around the building came into view, giving the whole storefront a glow worth photographing.

John S. Towata founded the business in 1945 after his release from a wartime incarceration camp. The shop went on to serve Alameda for more than six decades.

UPDATE: John's Towata Flowers closed in 2009, and the neon sign and frontage lighting have been removed. 09-26

Masonic Temple
Alameda, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Look up at the neon sign for the Masonic Temple in Alameda. The tall lettering and Square and Compasses emblem give the building something recognizable above the sidewalk.

After dark, the marquee could be spotted from blocks away. A handy feature for anyone heading to the lodge, and a good find for someone simply looking for another patch of neon.

The sign dates to the 1950s, when lodge halls joined shops, theaters, and other businesses in lighting their names along the street. Alameda had more than one reason to keep the camera ready after sunset.

UPDATE: The Masonic Temple remains in use, and its neon sign survives. 09-26

Friendship Baptist
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here's a neon cross to check out at Friendship Baptist Church in South San Francisco. Rising above the church, it gives the building a bright landmark for anyone passing after dark.

Neon church signs don't turn up on every block these days. This one lets the shape do the talking, with no long message needed to explain the stop.

For someone arriving for an evening service, the cross helps point the way. For a passing sign hunter, it's another reason to slow down and take a closer look.

A church might not be the first place on the day's neon list, but there's no reason to drive past a good sign just because it isn't advertising dinner or a motel room.

UPDATE: Friendship Baptist Church is still active, and the neon cross remains. 09-26

76 Gas (Gone)
Palo Alto, CA
Photo courtesy Jason Carlton

Here's a familiar orange ball above a Palo Alto gas station. The 76 Gas globe doesn't need neon tubing to catch the eye. Its round shape and big numerals do the job just fine.

The globe first appeared at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair before becoming a common sight above West Coast service stations. Spotting one ahead could mean fuel, a windshield cleaning, and a short break from the drive.

Even with plenty of other signs around, that orange sphere is easy to pick out. It looks ready to roll away, though hopefully the supports have other ideas.

This one made a good photo subject before getting back on the road. Sometimes the gas stop supplies more than a receipt.

UPDATE: The photographed Palo Alto globe has been removed. 09-26