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Illinois Signs (page 7)

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Lu-Bob's Family Restaurant
Greenville, IL
The Lu-Bob's Family Restaurant was originally known as Hickey's Restaurant which opened in 1963. This pole sign is probably from then. It became Lu-Bob's in 1989. The facade sign is probably from then. For more, see this website. [map]

2 Acres
Motel [gone]
Greenville, IL
First Federal
Savings & Loan [gone]
Harrisburg, IL
The 2 Acres Motel had been here since at least the 1960s. This photo is from 2005. By 2013, the building and sign were gone.

The First Federal Savings & Loan sign remained in 2006 although the building was housing an insurance company. By 2010, this sign was gone.

Gurnee:
Portillo's Hot Dogs

Moose Lodge
Harvard, IL
Windy's Tavern [gone]
Harvard, IL
Big Foot Inn
Harvard, IL
This Moose Lodge sign is probably from the 1950s. [map]

The Windy's Tavern sign was probably from the 1950s. This photo is from 2006. By 2012, the bar and sign were gone.

The Big Foot Inn sign is probably from the 1950s or 1960s. [map]

Park Avenue
Motel [gone]
Herrin, IL
Matt's Furniture
Herrin, IL
Fraternal Order
of Eagles
Herrin, IL
Knights of Columbus
Herrin, IL

The Park Avenue Motel was built in 1961. The owner designed the motel and the sign. The motel has been demolished and the sign is gone. It was reported that the sign would be saved by the City and reinstalled somewhere else on Park Avenue. However, I have also heard that it was put up for sale on eBay. For more, see this website.

The Matt's Furniture sign was built in 1956 by the Neon Sign Corp. It previously advertised for Bryan Furniture and was originally located in West Frankfort, IL. When that store closed in 2007, the sign was moved to the Herrin store. In 2023, the owner retired and closed the store. In 2024, the sign was adapted for Matt's Furniture. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]

Fraternal Order of Eagles sign is probably from the 1950s. [map]

Knights of Columbus sign is probably from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

More Herrin:
Herrin Bowl

Sabre Room [gone]
Hickory Hills, IL
Choice Motel [gone]
Highland, IL
Del Rio
Restaurant
Highwood, IL
Bannon
Floor Coverings [gone]
Homewood, IL
The Sabre Room was established in 1949. It closed in 2016. There are plans to sell the sign at auction. It was still there in 2017 but the restaurant had been demolished and the lot was surrounded with demo fencing. By 2018, the sign was gone. For more, see this website.

The Choice Motel also went by the name of the "Cardinal Inn". It had been here since at least the 1950s. By 2018, the motel was for sale and the sign was gone.

The Del Rio Restaurant has been around since the 1920s. This sign is probably from the 1950s. [map]

The Bannon Floor Coverings sign appeared to be from the 1950s. This photo is from 2010. The sign was gone by 2016.

Hillside:
Q's Pizza

Hinckley:
Shadylawn Motel

Itasca:
Hi-Fi Lounge

Elks Lodge
Jacksonville, IL
Charlie's
Jacksonville, IL
This Elks Lodge sign is probably from the 1950s. B.P.O.E. stands for Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. This sign may be unique or is at least is very rare. I have seen many similar Elks signs but not another like this. For some other examples, see these in Arcadia, CA, Daytona Beach, FL [gone], Ironton, OH, Hood River, OR, Galveston, TX, and Fond du Lac, WI [gone]. [map]

The Charlie's ice cream stand sign might be from the 1960s. [map]

Emporium
Jacksonville, IL
Walton's Appliance and Furniture
Jacksonville, IL
The Emporium department store had opened in Jacksonville by 1912. I don't know if it was originally at this location or moved at some point. This sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. I don't know when the store closed but the space below this sign now houses Kim's Place Cafe. The other side of the building now houses the Emporium bar and pool hall. [map]

The Walton's Appliance and Furniture was established in 1902. These neon letters are probably from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

Journal-Courier
Jacksonville, IL
DeWitt Motor Co.
Jacksonville, IL
Blackhawk Village Inn & Lodge [gone]
Jacksonville, IL
The Journal-Courier was established in 1830. The newspaper has been owned by Hearst Newspapers since 2017. This sign might be from the 1950s. [map]

The DeWitt Motor Co. was selling Oldsmobiles in the 1940s on the south side of town. By the early 1950s, the company had added Cadillacs. This sign might be from then. The store closed around 1968 and the building began housing Rockford Dodge. This sign has been located behind a building on the north side of town since at least 2011. I believe the sign was sold in 2024. [map]

This photo of the Blackhawk Village Inn & Lodge sign is from 2009. Around 2014, the motel became a Knights Inn and the sign was removed. The neon sign is now in a private collection.

More Jacksonville:
Party House

Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Jerseyville, IL
Stone Motel [gone]
Johnston City, IL
Marchio Floor Coverings [gone]
Joliet, IL
Stefanich's Restaurant
Joliet, IL
This Independent Order of Odd Fellows sign might be from the 1950s. [map]

The Stone Motel sign was probably built in the 1950s. This photo is from 2010. By 2013, the sign was gone.

The Marchio Floor Coverings sign appeared to be from the 1950s or earlier. This photo is from 2009. The sign was still there in 2012 but gone by 2013.

The Stefanich's Restaurant sign was reworked in 2005. The porcelain enamel panels were painted over when the sign was adapted. "Chicken" was changed to "Restaurant", "Tavern" was changed to "Lounge", and the "'s" has been dropped from "Stefanich's". This photo is from 2009. By 2017, the sign was repainted again and the "s" was added. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

More Joliet:
Al's Steak House
Joe's Hot Dogs
Mitchell's Food Mart
Plaza Hotel: 1, 2
Washington Lanes [gone]

Lincoln Motel [gone]
Jonesboro, IL
Lafayette
Restaurant
Kankakee, IL
People's Drive-in
Cleaners
Kewanee, IL
(now Langley, IL)
Flemish-American Club
Kewanee, IL
The Lincoln Motel sign was probably from the 1950s. Around 2012, this sign was replacement with a plastic box sign.

The Lafayette Restaurant was moved to its current location to advertise for Lori's Diner. This sign was originally hung on the Lafayette Hotel. [map]

People's Drive-in Cleaners was established in 1929. This sign is very similar to the one at Pierce Cleaners in Columbus, OH. The cleaners closed around 2016 and the sign was moved to the entrance to Psycho Silo Saloon in Langley, IL. The panels were adapted.

The Flemish-American Club sign was built in the 1940s. It originally had neon and the windmill blades turned. The text originally read "Flemish Village". This photo is from 2012. The sign had been repainted by 2013. [map]

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