email: roadarch@outlook.com

Clock Signs (page 4)

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

Holsum Bread
Las Vegas, NV
Gail's Bakery expanded to this location in 1954 and began selling Holsum Bread. The sign and clock were installed at that time. In 2004, the building was converted into the Holsum Lofts which is a complex of shops, showrooms, and condos. The neon was restored at that time. For more, see this website. [map]

Colgate Clock
Jeffersonville, IN
The Colgate Clock is 38 feet in diameter with 16- and 20-foot-long hands. The clock is positioned to be visible from Louisville, KY. Originally, this clock was located in Jersey City, NJ. It was moved here when that location got a bigger clock sign (see below). The Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Company plant opened here in 1923. This building previously housed the Indiana Reformatory for Men. Colgate moved out in 2008 and the building was added to the list of the "Ten Most Endangered" places in IN. The Colgate sign is now gone but the clock remains and is lit at night. In 2015, it was announced that the building may be converted into lofts. For more, see this website. [map]

Colgate Clock
Jersey City, NJ
This Colgate Clock was built in 1924. It is the world's largest clock with a 50 foot in diameter face. The minute hand is 25 feet long. The design was based on Colgate's Octagon Soap. It is actually the second such clock erected in Jersey City. The first was built in 1906 and was 38 feet in diameter. This older sign was moved to Jeffersonville, IN (see above). This clock that replaced it is lit at night and supposedly still works. However, when I was there in 2007, it was not operating. In 1983, the signage below the clock was altered. The letters spelling out "Soaps Perfumes" were replaced with a toothpaste tube. When the clock was moved to the ground, this part of the sign was replaced with a simple red rectangular Colgate sign. In 2013, the clock was completely rebuilt with new hands, face, and LED lighting. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3.

Equitable Gas clock
Pittsburgh, PA
2001: 2010:
The Equitable Gas clock was originally part of the Duquesne Brewery. It was built in 1933. With a diameter of 60 feet, it was the largest single face clock in the world at the time. The brewery opened in 1899 and closed in the 1970s. The clock was stopped at 6:30 for at least ten years. At some point, Stroh's took over the building and painted their logo over the clock. In 2002, Equitable Gas restored the clock and added their name. In 2009, the clock was leased to AT&T and the clock was repainted again. The clock was still orange and bore the AT&T name in 2014. By 2016, the clock had been painted grey and was brand-less. For more, see this website. [map]

Chicago Clock Co.
Clarendon Hills, IL		 George L. Gaines Jewelers
Lakeland, FL		 Bambi Cleaners
Philadelphia, PA
The Chicago Clock Co. has been around since 1917. For more, see this website. [map]

George L. Gaines Jewelers opened in 1935. The clock sign is probably from the 1960s. It appears that the clock originally revolved. The channel letters on the facade, which had neon originally, were probably built in the 1950s. Around 2020, the white channel letters were painted black. [map]

Bambi Cleaners was established in 1954. The business moved to this located around 1957. This sign is probably from then or the early 1960s. It was built by Angelo Colavita of Colonial Signs. Since this photo from 2010, only one of the plastic balls on top of the sign remains. [map]

Exchange Bank & Trust
Atchison, KS		 Coppertone
Long Beach, CA
This revolving, three-sided Exchange Bank & Trust rooftop clock and temperature sign may have been installed around 1965 when Commercial Street was transformed into a pedestrian mall. The third side has a plastic panel with the bank's name. [map]

This Coppertone clock sign is installed on the former Owl Drug building. The building now houses Pietris Bakery. These backlit plastic signs were mass-produced but are very rare now. The only other one that I know of on public display is in Hampton Beach, NH. I believe they were built in the 1950s or 1960s. They are about four feet in diameter. [map]

City Center Motel
Burns, OR		 RV Pitstop
Quartzsite, AZ
The City Center Motel sign and clock appear are from the 1970s. The plastic text sign has vacuum formed panels which were created by heating plastic sheets over a mold. The vaccum pulls the plastic sheets and stretches them to create an embossed surface. These arrow clocks were produced in the early 1970s by Superior Outdoor Display in Long Beach, CA. They came in many different colors and faced downward or sideways. There were a few thousand made but there are only about a dozen of them still on display around the country. I have seen only green, red, and yellow ones. For more, see this website. [map]

This sign at the RV Pitstop features a clock sign which was produced by Superior Outdoor Display in the early 1970s. There are only about a dozen or so of these clocks left on display around the country. They were produced in many colors and either pointed sideways or downwards. The "OPEN" bulb sign may also have been produced by Superior Outdoor Display. [map]

Johnny's Bar & Grill
Lompoc, CA		 North Delta Plaza
Delta, CO
This Superior Outdoor Display arrow clock in Lompoc is installed above Johnny's Bar & Grill. The "OPEN" sign was probably from Superior as well. Johnny's opened in 2008. I don't know what business this sign was installed for originally. The El Zarape Restaurant was here in 1976. [map]

This Superior Outdoor Display arrow clock in Delta is installed above the sign for the North Delta Plaza. [map]

More Superior Outdoor Display Clocks:
Fresno, CA [gone]
Lakeland, FL [gone]
American Falls, ID
Ossian, IN [map]
Cleveland, OH
Cleveland, OH
Jeff's Barber Shop (New Rome, OH) [gone]
Van Corner (Springfield, OH) [gone]
Wonder Bur Lounge & Cafe (Grants Pass, OR)
Pancho Tacos (Fort Worth, TX)
Wease Auto Exchange (Harrisonburg, VA)

More Clock Signs:
Chevrolet (Abbeville, AL)
Huggin' Molly's (Abbeville, AL)
Empire Foods (Tucson, AZ)
Camarillo Liquors (now Bone Deep Tattoos) (Camarillo, CA)
East Lawn Elk Grove Memorial Park & Mortuary (Elk Grove, CA)
Curtis Clocks (Glendale, CA)
Val's Burgers (Hayward, CA)
Penske (Long Beach, CA)
Conners Plumbing (Los Angeles, CA)
former White Log Coffee Shop (Los Angeles, CA)
Glo-Dial Company (Los Angeles, CA) [vintage; gone]
Donut Corner (Oakland, CA)
Zweck's Jewelry (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Lim's Cafe (Redding, CA)
Salvation Army (Red Bluff, CA)
The Clock Shop (Sacramento, CA)
Chiropractor (San Francisco, CA)
A. Hirsh & Son Jewelers (San Jose, CA) [vintage; gone]
Jerry's Beefburgers (San Leandro, CA)
Shopper's Corner (Santa Cruz, CA)
Fitzjohn Jewelers (Temple City, CA)
Weld County Garage (Greeley, CO)
Spotlight Video (Trinidad, CO)
Colonial Photo & Hobby (Orlando, FL)
Ken-Way Portrait Studio (Bloomington, IL) [gone]
Bulova Watches (Chicago, IL) [gone]
C. Davis Rentals (Chicago, IL) [gone]
Groves Bakery (Chicago, IL) [gone]
Parker House Sausage (Chicago, IL)
Philadelphia Church (Chicago, IL)
The Best Laundry (Chicago, IL)
Helsel Jepperson Electrical Inc. (Chicago Heights, IL) [map]
George's Buffet (Danville, IL) [vintage; gone]
Hudson's Jewelry (Granite City, IL) [gone]
Andy's Auto Service (Morris, IL)
Pepsi (Quincy, IL)
Kraus Jewelers (Gary, IN) [gone]
First National Bank (Marion, IN) [vintage; gone]
Baxter State Bank (Baxter Springs, KS)
Sunrise Motel (Clay Center, KS)
1st National Bank (Edna, KS)
Morrill and Janes Bank (Hiawatha, KS)
Churchill Downs (Louisville, KY)
Coca-Cola (New Orleans, LA) [vintage; gone]
Hi-Lo Foods (Boston, MA) [map]
Heritage Farm Ice Cream and Restaurant (Lowell, MA)
Ziggy & Sons' Donuts (Salem, MA)
Kowloon Restaurant (Saugus, MA)
Bromo-Seltzer (Baltimore, MD)
Home Mutual Life (Baltimore, MD)
Hampshire Motor Inn (Langley Park, MD) [vintage; gone]
Dave's Drive-in (Detroit, MI) [map]
Palace Cleaners (Detroit, MI) [map]
Kamins Parts Plus (Lansing, MI)
Welcome Sign (Ossineke, MI)
Gould's Diamond & Jewelry (Glencoe, MN) [map]
Sharrett's Liquor (St. Paul, MN) [map]
North Star Drugs (Virginia, MN) [vintage; gone]
Buescher Memorial Home (Jefferson City, MO) [map]
Brown & Loe (Kansas City, MO)
Main Street (Kansas City, MO)
Standard Bar (Billings, MT) [vintage; gone]
HCL Linen Supply (Kalispell, MT)
Wimmer's Diamonds (Fargo, ND) [vintage; gone]
Jones Jewelry (Auburn, NE) [gone]
Tick Tock Diner (Clifton, NJ)
Standard Wholesale Supply: 1, 2 (Las Vegas, NV)
former Hallman's Chevrolet (Rochester, NY)
Taste of Belgium (Cincinnati, OH)
Swift's Dry Cleaning (Cleveland, OH) [gone]
Meadow Gold (Tulsa, OK)
Koehler Brewery (Erie, PA) [gone]
Crawford Jewelers (Philadelphia, PA) [gone]
Melrose Diner (Philadelphia, PA)
Observer-Reporter (Washington, PA) [map]
Codington Clark Electric Co-Op (Watertown, SD) [gone]
Gordon's Jewelers (Chattanooga, TN) [vintage; gone]
Keeton's Jewelers (Knoxville, TN) [map]
Even Cut Salon & Spa (Livingston, TN) [map]
Universal Life Insurance Co. (Memphis, TN)
Hosse & Hosse Safe & Lock Co. (Nashville, TN)
Kruger's Diamond Jewelers (Austin, TX)
Carousel (Dallas, TX) [vintage; gone]
Vaughan Funeral Home (Donna, TX)
Sather's Jewelry (Roosevelt, UT) [gone]
Climax Beverages (Richmond, VA) [vintage; gone]
Glaser's Jewelry (Colfax, WA) [gone]
Nicole's Funeral Home (Ephrata, WA)
Pike Place Market (Seattle, WA)
Olympic Athletic Club (Seattle, WA)
Wardrobe Cleaners (Seattle, WA)
U Betcha Pub (Tacoma, WA)
Kroll's East (Green Bay, WI)
Micklesen Drug (Hudson, WI)
Rummele's Jewelers (Manitowoc, WI) [gone]
Speed Queen (Milwaukee, WI)
Hudy's Bar (Superior, WI)
Miller & Son's Supermarket (Verona, WI)
Puffenberger's Jewelry (Moorefield, WV) [gone]
Feasters Jewelers (Shinnston, WV) [gone]
Superior Auto Body (Calgary, AB)
Wares Jewelers (Stettler, AB) [map]
Calgary Ginger Ale (Wetaskiwin, AB) [vintage; gone]
Knight's Hardware (Ladysmith, BC)
Gateway (Port Arthur, ON) [vintage; gone]
Shanfields-Meyers Jewellery & China Shop (Windsor, ON) [map]
Edmund Arnold Juwelers (Vienna, Austria)
Philips (Strijp-S, Netherlands)

Vintage Clock Signs Flickr group (various cities)
Brown Street Clocks

If you know of any other clock signs, I'd love to hear from you.

Clock Signs
page 1		 Clock Signs
page 2		 Clock Signs
page 3
Main SCA Article
Companion Page		 Main Signs Page