Golden Era Shops San Diego

Arroyo Furniture (Gone)
Los Angeles, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Check out the old marquee for Arroyo Furniture in Highland Park. Its lettering gives this North Figueroa Street storefront a familiar neighborhood greeting, back when shopping for a sofa meant stopping at a local furniture store.

Located at 6037 N. Figueroa Street, at Avenue 61, Arroyo served the neighborhood for decades. The storefront was part of a shopping strip along an early Route 66 alignment, with its own roadside identity long after freeway traffic took another path.

There’s more to see around the corner. In 1996, the long Avenue 61 wall became the canvas for “Mexico – Tenochtitlan: The Wall That Talks.” Led by John Zender Estrada and a team of artists, the approximately 12-by-75-foot mural brought a different kind of color to the furniture store.

UPDATE: The Arroyo Furniture location is 6037 N. Figueroa Street in Highland Park. Its story includes both the longtime neighborhood furniture business and the landmark mural painted along its Avenue 61 wall in 1996. 10-26

Bellflower Camera
Bellflower, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The old Bellflower Camera sign stood above the building, advertising a place to pick up photography supplies along Bellflower Boulevard. Its rooftop position made the name easy to notice before customers reached the storefront.

Camera shops like this were familiar stops for film, equipment, and the next set of prints. The sign outside was part of that routine, a landmark to watch for when heading back to collect the results.

A change in ownership eventually brought a different business into the building. The camera-store greeting didn’t make the transition.

UPDATE: The Bellflower Camera sign no longer sits on this building next to the main drag in Bellflower. The owner sold the building to a medical supply business. Many thanks to Loretta Lewis for update. 06-04

UPDATE: By June 2004, the Bellflower Camera rooftop sign had been removed after the building was sold to a medical supply business. The former shop stood at 16541 Bellflower Boulevard. 10-26

Wertz Candies (ne)
Glendale, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

A sweet stop along Brand Boulevard, Alan Wertz Candies had been part of Glendale since 1945. This view catches the former storefront before the business moved farther up the street, ending a long chapter at its original location. 02-03

After more than half a century, the move changed the familiar frontage. The old lettering disappeared as the original space passed to another use.

UPDATE: Wertz vacated its original location at 113 N. Brand Boulevard by 2003 and relocated nearby. The later storefront eventually closed as well, leaving the old candy-shop name to photographs and Glendale memories. 10-26

Kingdom Vacuums (Rem.)
Northridge, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

An old trade gets an old-fashioned greeting at Kingdom Vacuums in Northridge. The vintage sign advertises the sort of neighborhood shop people visited when a household appliance needed attention rather than an immediate trip to the trash.

Vacuum sales and repairs may not sound like the makings of a roadside attraction, but the lettering above the business gives the frontage something worth checking out. Even an everyday errand could come with a little neon.

UPDATE: This view records the Kingdom Vacuums sign associated with the shop at 8944 Reseda Boulevard, another reminder of the Valley’s smaller specialty storefronts. The sign has changed over the years. 10-26

Zenith TV (Demolished)
Buena Park, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Remember the Zenith TV sign visible from Interstate 5 near Beach Boulevard in Buena Park? Its height and bold lettering made it a familiar marker along the freeway, whether or not anyone in the car was shopping for a television.

The sign recalled the years when a local television dealer could advertise with a display large enough to compete with the surrounding roadside businesses. Passing it was part of the drive, with the familiar name appearing above the traffic.

The property eventually gave way to an automotive dealership, changing both the business below and the view from the freeway.

UPDATE: The Zenith TV sign and its supporting commercial property were removed for redevelopment. A car dealership replaced the old site, leaving the towering television marquee as another missing piece of the I-5 drive. 10-26

Color TV Sign
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

“Color TV” once offered motel guests a reason to choose one driveway over the next. This old sign recalls the days when seeing a program in color was a room feature worth announcing outside.

Before flat screens and streaming became ordinary, a little panel like this could advertise a modern comfort waiting behind the door. After a day on the highway, guests could settle in and see whether the reception was as good as the promise.

UPDATE: This view preserves an old motel amenity sign from the years when color television deserved its own roadside announcement. Apparently a bed and a shower weren’t the only things competing for a traveler’s attention. 10-26

Dan-Dee Shoe Repair (Gone)
Hollywood, CA
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Even a pair of worn soles could lead to something worth checking out along Vine Street. The vintage marquee for Dan-Dee Shoe Repair gave this Hollywood shop a greeting with considerably more character than a window full of printed notices.

The sign received a refurbishment, bringing a fresh look to an old neighborhood trade. While customers stopped in to give their shoes another round of service, the marquee got a little attention of its own.

UPDATE: Dan-Dee Shoe Repair has closed, and the former shop space has moved on to other uses. This view catches its refurbished sign during the shoe shop’s years on Vine Street. 10-26