Rialto Liquor (Rem.)
Monticello, NY
Photo courtesy Jay Lin

There is nothing quite like red neon glowing against a dark storefront window. Rialto Liquor Store on Broadway in Monticello had plenty of it, with the bright letters reflecting across the glass and casting a red glow over the bottles and signs inside. This is street-front neon doing exactly what it was supposed to do.

Rialto was a longtime downtown fixture serving both Monticello residents and the seasonal Catskills crowd. The store was operated for many years by Frieda Aber, who kept the place going through the quiet winters as well as the busy summer months.

One newspaper account even found Aber working at Rialto during the big Presidents Day snowstorm of 2003. With the streets buried in snow, that red neon must have been an especially welcome sight.

The business eventually left its old Broadway storefront and moved to Mountain Mall Plaza. Rialto Liquors continues there with a large selection of spirits and kosher wines, but the strip mall location does not have quite the same nighttime glow.

UPDATE: Rialto Liquors remains open at 24 Mountain Mall Plaza. The original Broadway neon sign is gone. 08-26

Crate's Liquor
Red Bank, NJ
Photo courtesy Moon Mullins OX-76

Here is the old neon sign for Crate’s Liquor Store glowing after dark in Red Bank. Along with the Crate’s name, the sign gets right down to business by advertising COLD BEER and PARKING. What more does a roadside liquor sign really need to say? OX-76

Crate’s traces its history back to the 1800s, when Benjamin Crate operated a soda and beverage bottling business. Over the years it grew into one of Red Bank’s longtime liquor stores, first operating from a downtown location on Monmouth Street.

When the store moved to North Bridge Avenue, the family did not leave its familiar sign behind. A crane was brought in to lower the large neon marquee so it could be carried across town and installed at the new location. That was certainly better than sending it to the scrap pile.

The old porcelain sign still lights up, complete with its neon lettering and wonderfully practical message. After more than a century of business, Crate’s continues to keep Red Bank supplied with wine, liquor and, yes, cold beer.

UPDATE: Crate’s Liquor Store remains open at 14 North Bridge Avenue. Its relocated vintage neon sign survives and continues to light up at night. 08-26

The Park Florist (Gone)
Averil Park, NY
Photo courtesy Steve Felder

Here is the vintage neon marquee for The Park Florist along the Troy-Averill Park road. The flowing script and flower decoration give the sign just the right touch for a roadside florist. From the looks of this nighttime shot, the neon was still glowing nicely.

The old sign advertised a longtime local flower shop serving the Averill Park and Sand Lake area. Along with everyday arrangements, Park Florist handled flowers for weddings and other special occasions.

It is always nice to find an old independent shop still lighting its original neon after dark. A plain plastic florist sign just would not have looked quite the same along this stretch of road.

UPDATE: Park Florist has closed, and the Center Street property is no longer operating as a flower shop. The current whereabouts of the old neon sign are unknown. 08-26

Thunderbolt Coaster
Agawam, MA
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

Over at Riverside Park in Agawam is Thunderbolt, a good little wooden coaster that has been rattling riders around since 1941. The neon entranceway, complete with flashing lightning bolts, is almost as much fun as the ride itself.

Thunderbolt stands 70 feet high and runs along 2,600 feet of wooden track at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. It is now the oldest operating coaster in the Six Flags chain and became an official ACE Roller Coaster Landmark in 2008.

UPDATE : Riverside Park in Agawam was bought by Six Flags and has been converted to a mega park as is their style. However the good news is the coaster has survived the change. Many thanks to Paul Roy for update.

UPDATE: Thunderbolt and its classic neon entrance remain in operation at Six Flags New England. 08-26

Liquor Store
Wildwood, NJ
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

Here is another great old Liquor Store sign from the Wildwoods. The lettering is nice, but check out the definition on that neon bottle. With all those tightly arranged tubes, it almost looks like the real thing was glowing above Pacific Avenue.

This was just the sort of colorful sign that fit right in with the Wildwoods’ motels, diners and boardwalk arcades. No fancy business name was needed. A giant neon bottle and the words LIQUOR STORE told vacationers everything they needed to know.

UPDATE: The liquor store has closed, and its detailed neon bottle sign has been removed. 08-26

Cedar Liquors (Gone)
Wildwoods NJ
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

Here is the old Cedar Liquors sign glowing along Pacific Avenue in the Wildwoods. The big neon bottle looks like it is pouring right down the side of the marquee. That should get the attention of anyone cruising the avenue after dark.

The colorful script, neon tubing and oversized bottle fit right in with the Wildwoods’ old collection of Doo Wop motels, diners and boardwalk arcades. Back then, even the neighborhood liquor store could put on a little nighttime show. A plain plastic sign would not have been nearly as much fun.

Cedar Liquors was one of several package stores serving the busy resort crowds around the island. Paul Bauke’s photograph caught the sign while its neon was still working, preserving another small piece of the Wildwoods before the redevelopment boom changed so much of Pacific Avenue.

UPDATE: Cedar Liquors and its Pacific Avenue building are gone. The neon sign was removed when the property was cleared, and its fate is unknown. 08-26

Castle in the Sand Hotel
Ocean City, NJ
Photo courtesy Matthias Tippner

This eye-catching neon sign points travelers toward the Castle in the Sand Hotel along Atlantic Avenue. The colorful castle, palm trees and glowing script are hard to miss after dark. Despite the original caption, this one is in Ocean City, Maryland, not New Jersey. 12-06

John and Ann Showell purchased the sandy 37th Street property in 1958, back when it was considered way up the beach. The motel opened in 1960 with efficiencies, private balconies and ocean views. It has since grown into a full beachfront resort, but remains in the Showell family. Best of all, the old neon marquee is still standing and lighting the way. With its little castle scene and layers of red, blue and yellow tubing, it has much more personality than the usual hotel sign.

UPDATE: Castle in the Sand remains in Ocean City, Maryland. The vintage neon sign survives and continues to glow after dark. 08-26