email: roadarch@outlook.com

Michigan Signs (page 5)

(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)

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 Signs:
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. By 2017, the sign had been painted black and was advertising for the New Life Community Church. For more, see this website. [map]

Schmidt's Super Market was built in 1958. This sign was installed then. The supermarket closed in the late 1980s. Soon after that, a Barnes & Noble bookstore moved into the building. The sign was repainted and the groceries in the shopping cart were replaced with books. In 2002, Playmakers, an athletic shoe store, moved into the building. The shopping cart still holds books. The sign was originally lit with red neon. It is now lit with green, white, and orange neon. The wheels and woman's legs continue to be lit sequentially to convey rolling and walking action. The sign is about eight feet tall. 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 Signs:
Fair Lane Motel

Oasis Liquor
Paw Paw, MI		 Harding's Market
Plainwell, MI		 Fitness Things [gone]
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. By 2016, the sign was either moved or, more likely, a replica was built and installed at the new location. [map]

This Fitness Things sign appeared to be modern. It doubled as a mailbox holder. By 2014, the sign had been repainted. By 2018, it was gone.

Petoskey Signs:
Reid's Furniture [map]

More Plymouth Signs:
Box Bar

General Printing and Office Supply [gone]
Pontiac, MI		 Pontiac Paint Co.
Pontiac, MI
General Printing and Office Supply was gone but this sign remained when this photo was taken in 2011. It was probably built in the 1930s or 1940s. The sign was gone by 2016.

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. The sign was removed in 2017 after a fire destroyed the bar. The building is being reconstructed and the sign will be reinstalled. 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 Signs:
Eastgate Center [vintage; gone]

Bowlero Lanes
Royal Oak, MI		 Saranay Motel
Royal Oak, MI		 Sign of the Beefcarver
Royal Oak, MI		 MGM Cleaners [gone]
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 appeared to be from the 1950s. This photo is from 2011. The signs were removed between 2015 and 2017. For more, see this website.

More Royal Oak Signs:
Palms Motel [vintage; gone]

MI (page 1) MI (page 2) MI (page 3) MI (page 4) MI (page 6) MI (page 7) Detroit

Main Signs Page