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Michigan Signs (page 5)

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Shula's 31 Bowl
Niles, MI
This sign originally advertised for Shula's 31 Bowl. Joey Armadillo's reopened the bowling alley around 2005 and adapted this sign. The sign features animated bowling balls. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

More Niles:
Packard

Robert Hall
Clothes [gone]
Norton Shores, MI		 former Schmidt's Grocery
Okemos, MI		 Blue Slipper Tavern
Onekama, MI
This Robert Hall Clothes store had been closed for many years when this photo was taken in 2011. The company went bankrupt and had closed all its locations by 1977. By 2013, the neon had been removed and the sign's panels had been painted white. For more, see this website. [map]

Schmidt's Super Market was built in 1958. This sign is most likely from then. It was originally lit with red neon and the shopping cart held groceries. When the supermarket closed in the late 1980s, a Barnes & Noble bookstore moved in. Barnes & Noble replaced the groceries in the sign's shopping cart with books. Since 2002, the building has housed Playmakers, an athletic shoe store. The books in the shopping cart remain. The sign is lit with green, white, and orange neon. The wheels and legs flash to convey movement. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. [map]

The Blue Slipper Tavern became a cafe later and added the secondary sign. It is now known as the Blue Slipper Bistro. The sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. [map]

Novi:
Fair Lane Motel

Oasis Liquor
Paw Paw, MI		 Harding's Market
Plainwell, MI		 Fitness Things
Plymouth, MI
This Oasis Liquor sign was built in 2010. It is a replica of the original sign from the 1950s. The owners decided to replace the rusting, original sign since it was far cheaper than restoring it. The original sign was donated to the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The Harding's Market chain was established in 1944 in Parchment, MI. There are now 29 locations in Southwest Michigan. This store moved to a different spot in town around 2008. However, this sign remained at the original location at least until 2015. I'm told that it may have been moved or a replica built at the new location. In 2015, the new location had a plastic box sign. [map]

This Fitness Things sign appears to be modern. It doubles as a mailbox holder. [map]

Petoskey:
Reid's Furniture [map]

More Plymouth:
Box Bar

General Printing and Office Supply
Pontiac, MI		 Pontiac Paint Co.
Pontiac, MI
General Printing and Office Supply is gone but this sign remains. It was probably built in the 1930s or 1940s. [map]

The Pontiac Paint Co. opened in 1946. These signs are probably from then. For more, see this website. [map]

Brass Rail
Port Huron, MI
The Brass Rail opened in 1937 and these signs may be from then. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Palms Krystal Bar & Grill
Port Huron, MI		 Jack's Restaurant
Rapid River, MI
The Palms Krystal Bar & Grill claims that it opened in 1936. I suspect that somewhere along the line, the opening date got confused with the year that Chicken in the Rough fried chicken was invented. Unless the Palms opened coincidentally in 1936 and began carrying Chicken in the Rough later on. I believe the first Chicken in the Rough restaurants opened in Oklahoma. The only other neon Chicken in the Rough signs that I know of are in Oklahoma City, OK and another in a private collection in Greenville, WI. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Jack's Restaurant opened in 1943. This sign was installed in 1956. In 2016, the neon was removed and the sign was repainted. For more, see this website. [map]

Richland Pub
Richland, MI		 Richland Village Drug
Richland, MI		 Carl's Electric
Richmond, MI
The Richland Pub opened in 1959. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Richland Village Drug has moved but this sign remains. The store below it is now Richland Village Sundries, a gift and greeting cards shop. [map]

Carl's Electric opened in 1928. The business is now known as Carl's TV and Appliance. This sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. [map]

Corner Bar
Rockford, MI		 Colonial Motel
Rockford, MI		 Macomb Mall
Roseville, MI
The Corner Bar sign is probably from the 1930s. The Corner Bar operated as pool hall in the early 1930s. After Prohibition, the establishment added hot dogs in order to satisfy the food requirement needed to obtain a liquor license. For more, see this website. [map]

The Colonial Motel sign is probably from the 1950s. The neon has been removed. [map]

The Macomb Mall opened in 1964 and has over 100 stores. Sears is the only store in the mall that has been there from the beginning. This photo is from 2011. In 2014, the neon on the sign was replaced with backlit plastic. There were two other signs like this one at the Oakland Mall (Troy, MI) and Livonia Mall (Livonia, MI). For more, see this website. [map]

More Roseville:
Eastgate Center (Roseville) [vintage; gone]

Bowlero Lanes
Royal Oak, MI		 Saranay Motel
Royal Oak, MI		 Sign of the Beefcarver
Royal Oak, MI		 MGM Cleaners
Royal Oak, MI
The Bowlero Lanes sign appears to be from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

The Saranay Motel opened in the late 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

Sign of the Beefcarver was originally known as the Sign of the Beefeater. The name was changed when Beefeater Gin sued. This was the chain's first location. I'm not sure when it first opened but it has been around since at least the 1960s. At one time, there were at least eight locations in the Detroit area, four others in Chicago, and at least one in Florida. I believe this is the only restaurant left. For more, see this website. [map]

The MGM Cleaners sign appears to be from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

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