Disneyland Sign

Vista Drug (Reml)
Costa Mesa, CA
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

A neighborhood drugstore once had a little extra glow along West 19th Street in Costa Mesa. The old neon sign for Vista Drug gave the shop a roadside presence of its own, recalling the days when even a stop for prescriptions could turn up a sign worth photographing. Signs like this added some individuality to the neighborhood shopping strip, with the neon doing its best work once the sun went down.

The pharmacy’s history dates back to 1986, but its sign recalled an earlier era of drugstore advertising. No giant billboard was needed here, just a familiar name in neon to let passing motorists know where to pull in.

UPDATE: The neon sign was removed several years ago. Although Vista Drug remains in business, the old glow along West 19th Street is now a part of the photo archives. 10-26

Windy's Western Roundup
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

Here’s another bit of neon, this time advertising Windy’s Western Roundup. The name alone brings to mind a different era of Southern California nightlife, when a western theme and a glowing marquee could help set the mood before anyone stepped through the door. Whatever brought customers inside, the sign gave passing neon hunters something to stop and check out.

UPDATE: Details on Windy’s location and history remain elusive. For now, this photograph preserves a look at its neon roadside greeting. 10-26

McCarty's Jewelry
Long Beach, CA
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

There’s a little extra sparkle above the sidewalk at McCarty’s Jewelry in Long Beach. Check out the neon marquee and the geometric diamond perched on top, letting customers know what sort of treasures might be waiting inside. Along Belmont Shore’s Second Street, this sign is a fitting advertisement for a business that has seen generations of jewelry shoppers come and go.

Victor and Marie McCarty established the business in 1923, and the shop settled into its familiar location in the late 1950s. The diamond-topped marquee adds another jewel to a street worth exploring after dark.

UPDATE: McCarty’s remains in business under new ownership. Its vintage neon sign continues to light up Second Street. 10-26

Artesia Bakery (Closed)
Artesia, CA
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

Check out the character on the old neon marquee for Artesia Bakery along Pioneer Boulevard. Just what the little fellow is holding might call for a second look. Perhaps he’s taking a break while another batch of pastries finishes baking. Either way, this was the sort of individual touch that made a neighborhood bakery easy to remember.

The bakery was also part of Artesia’s Dutch community. The Lakeman family took over in 1952, with Marius Lakeman succeeding his father in 1975. Cakes, cookies, and Dutch specialties kept generations coming back, while the sign offered its own greeting outside.

UPDATE: The Artesia Bakery closed down sometime in early 2010. The neon sign was removed and garment store is now in its place. 09-15

UPDATE: Artesia Bakery was reported closed by December 2006, earlier than the previously noted 2010 date. The neon sign was subsequently removed, and a clothing store took over the storefront. 10-26

Harbor Chevrolet
Long Beach, CA
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

Looking to buy a new truck, but just have to get it from a dealership with a good neon sign out front? Check out Harbor Chevrolet in Long Beach, where the Chevrolet Trucks marquee offers a little extra incentive to look over the lot. The familiar Chevrolet name and bowtie give this sign the sort of roadside appeal that once helped dealerships stand out along Southern California’s busy boulevards.

Established in 1923, Harbor Chevrolet has been selling vehicles since long before the postwar car boom filled local streets with chrome and tail fins. Its Cherry Avenue location near the Long Beach Airport carries on that automotive tradition, with the vintage neon adding something worth seeing even for those who aren’t shopping for a new set of wheels.

UPDATE: It appears that this sign is surviving and still up and located at this Chevy location. 09-17

UPDATE: Harbor Chevrolet remains in operation, and its older neon lot sign survives alongside the newer vehicles and dealership improvements. A little old Chevrolet glow still has a place along Cherry Avenue. 10-26

Vidiots (Gone)
Santa Monica, CA
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

A night out for a movie once began with a look at the colorful neon for Vidiots in Santa Monica. This Pico Boulevard video store had a name and sign that were hard to forget, especially when the neon stood out against the dark sky. Before streaming put so many movie choices on a screen at home, browsing the shelves here was part of the evening’s entertainment.

Founded in 1985 by childhood friends Patty Polinger and Cathy Tauber, Vidiots built a collection of some 50,000 titles, including obscure films that could be difficult to find elsewhere. The shop became a gathering place for movie lovers as well as a place to pick up a rental.

UPDATE: The Santa Monica store closed in February 2017, and its familiar neon no longer marks the original location. Vidiots returned on June 1, 2023, at the historic Eagle Theatre in Eagle Rock, combining its video collection with movie screenings and community events. 10-26

Atomic Garage (Gone)
Los Angeles, CA
Photo courtesy Georg Balandran

Along Melrose Avenue, Atomic Garage once added its own neon announcement to a street known for unusual shops and attention-getting storefronts. Despite the name, this was a clothing shop rather than a place to bring the car for repairs. Its projecting marquee fit right into the avenue’s mix of fashion, streetwear, and offbeat retail.

During Melrose’s busy shopping years of the 1980s and 1990s, browsing the storefronts could be as much a part of the trip as finding something to buy. Atomic Garage gave sign watchers another reason to keep looking up while making their way down the sidewalk.

UPDATE: Atomic Garage has closed, and its familiar marquee no longer projects over Melrose Avenue. The sign survives here as a reminder of an earlier chapter in the street’s shopping scene. 10-26