Surf Cleaners (Gone)
Encinitas, CA Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
Along the old coast highway in Encinitas, Surf Cleaners offered a little roadside scenery with the laundry drop-off. The marquee above the entrance and blue lettering across the building gave this neighborhood shop a look worth stopping to admire. Clean shirts weren’t the only attraction here.
The sign had greeted customers since the early 1950s, becoming a familiar part of the commercial stretch. Paired with the storefront’s horizontal facade, it gave the place the appearance of a cleaner that had been taking care of the neighborhood’s Sunday best for quite a while.
UPDATE: The longtime cleaning operation closed, and the marquee was removed in autumn 2015 following conflicts with local sign regulations. Its removal stirred a local preservation effort aimed at protecting Encinitas’ vintage roadside signs. A familiar piece of the coast highway scenery had become a reminder of how quickly these old marquees can disappear. 10-26
New Life Laundry (Gone)
San Diego, CA Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
The New Life Laundry store sits right next to the Stern's Gym.
Both locations are reminders of an era where Main Street America was a huge part of the nation's consciousness.
The laundry occupied the ground floor beginning in 1961, joining a gym that had been upstairs since the late 1940s. Together, the two businesses gave the building a long-running combination of everyday services. Drop off the laundry, head upstairs, and perhaps give the next load a little more work to do.
The vertical sign was a good fit for the older commercial block. Its lettering and neon border reached out from the building, catching the eye along the street. Here was the sort of neighborhood landmark that became familiar through years of passing by, whether or not there was laundry waiting to be picked up.
UPDATE: New Life Laundry and Stern’s Gym vacated the property ahead of a planned conversion to bar and restaurant use in 2024. Their departure ended a decades-long pairing in the Granada Avenue building and closed another chapter of North Park’s neighborhood business history. 10-26
Dorothy's Military Shop and Laundry
Oceanside, CA Photo courtesy Jimmy Bowman
Old lettering across the building gives Dorothy’s Military Shop and Laundry in Oceanside a straightforward roadside welcome. No fancy sales pitch needed here. The facade and projecting sign let passing customers know where to bring uniforms that needed a little attention.
Serving the nearby Camp Pendleton community, Dorothy’s built its business around alterations, tailoring, medal mounting, and laundry work. These are the sorts of services that keep a small shop busy without needing much window dressing. There was always another uniform to press or something to get ready for inspection.
Dorothy's Military Shop and Laundry
Oceanside, CA Photo courtesy Jimmy Bowman
The painted lettering is part of the building’s appeal. Along with the storefront sign, it gives the place the familiar appearance of an independent business that settled in and stayed awhile. Take a look at the old exterior before heading down the block. Sometimes the building itself does a good share of the advertising.
UPDATE: The longtime family business continues operating in Oceanside, carrying on its military uniform and laundry services. Its familiar building lettering and signs survive, keeping a bit of the older commercial streetscape in view. 10-26
Dry Cleaners Photo courtesy M.C. Morrissey
Looking for the corner Dry Cleaners? This rooftop arrow makes a pretty good case for stopping here. Perched above the building, the oversized sign points the way with the kind of roadside enthusiasm that a small window notice just can’t match.
The corner location gives the sign room to show off. Its angled metal framework lifts the arrow above the roof, where it can catch the attention of motorists approaching the shop. Apparently a simple “cleaners” sign wasn’t quite enough. This one wanted to make sure the turn wasn’t missed.
Signs like this gave everyday errands a little roadside character. A trip to pick up a pressed shirt also meant passing beneath a big arrow overhead. Check out the shape and rooftop placement, both good reasons to give this neighborhood cleaner a second look.
Surf Cleaners (Gone)
Dorothy's Military Shop and Laundry
Dry Cleaners
