Moraga Center
Moraga, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

Look up at the towering marquee for Moraga Center, standing above the shops in the town of the same name. The framework appears to date back several decades, while some of the lettering looks considerably younger. A big roadside sign can go through quite a few store names without losing its familiar outline. 10-09

The shopping center grew out of development plans during the 1960s. Russell Bruzzone envisioned a stop for motorists traveling between Oakland and Walnut Creek, giving the property a connection to an era when new roads and roadside shopping often went together.

That helps explain the marquee’s height. Raise the names above the parked cars and passing drivers have a little more time to spot the turn. These days, the sign also gives roadside fans something to check out before heading toward the storefronts.

UPDATE: Moraga Center remains an active shopping destination. Its marquee received refurbishment in 2021, carrying the familiar roadside landmark into another round of neighborhood errands. 10-26

Ann Darling Shopping Center (Rem.)
San Jose, CA
Photos courtesy Heather David

This marquee is associated with the Ann Darling Shopping Center in San Jose, CA. The center dates back to 1959. The sign rotates back and forth. Many thanks to Heather David for info. 02-09

The sign originally advertised Food Bowl, the center’s supermarket. Its unusual outline made the grocery name stand out well above the parked cars, giving motorists something more memorable than a plain rectangle beside the driveway.

The upper panel was apparently motorized earlier in its life. Later photographs describe it moving with the wind, so even after the machinery stopped doing the work, the sign could still put on a little show. A breezy afternoon supplied its own animation.

UPDATE: The old Food Bowl neon lettering was removed in 2018 and replaced with lettering for Lucky 7 Supermercado. The distinctive framework survived the change, keeping much of the shopping center’s 1959 personality above the roadway. 10-26

Encinal Shopping Center
Alameda, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Here’s a little roadside character at Encinal Shopping Center in Alameda. The old marquee gives this neighborhood shopping stop an identity above the storefronts, with a design that apparently dates to the 1950s.

UPDATE: The Encinal marquee and adjacent Van de Kamp’s windmill remain at the shopping center. 10-26

Tracy Center (Gone)
Tracy, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Check out the towering neon sign at Tracy Center, rising above the roadside in the Northern California town of Tracy. The curved blue cabinet and red oval below give this marquee plenty of personality, with “Center” spelled out in flowing neon script. Quite an announcement for a neighborhood shopping stop. 02-10

The center apparently opened around 1957–1960, during Tracy’s westward commercial expansion along 11th Street. This stretch of old US Highway 50 brought passing motorists alongside new stores built to serve the growing neighborhoods.

UPDATE: The vintage neon marquee was removed during shopping-center updates in the 2010s and replaced with a modern illuminated directory sign. Much of the basic strip-center layout remains, with remodeled storefronts accommodating newer businesses and office uses. The shopping stop carries on, but its old neon greeting is gone. 10-26

Pleasant Plaza
Pleasanton, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Strickland

Pleasanton has another nighttime eye-catcher at Pleasant Plaza. The script lettering and starburst give this shopping-center sign some real roadside personality. Even a stop for groceries or dry cleaning comes with something to admire overhead. 10-09

The sign combines older features with newer work. Its slanted supports and starburst belong to the earlier design, while a replacement name panel was made during the shopping center’s 2000s makeover. Charlie Stroud of Arrow Sign Company designed the panel to fit the marquee’s original style.

UPDATE: Pleasant Plaza remains in use, with its updated marquee carrying on the older design. The sign’s 2000s work gave the center a refreshed name panel without sacrificing the starburst and leaning supports that make it such a roadside delight. 10-26