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Texas Signs (page 1)

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Hotel Grace
Abilene, TX
Grace Coffee Shop
Abilene, TX
The Hotel Grace was built in 1909. A fourth floor was added in 1924. The three-sided rooftop sign was probably added in the 1930s. In 1946, the hotel was renamed the Drake Hotel. Two of the letters were changed on the sign then. The hotel closed in 1973. It was purchased in 1987 and renovated. The sign's "G"s, "C"s and neon tubing had been added back to the sign when The Museums of Abilene opened in 1992. The building now houses The Grace Museum. [map]

The long-gone Grace Coffee Shop opened in 1928 as part of the Hotel Grace. This sign is probably from the 1950s. It is now displayed inside the Grace Museum lobby.

Larry's Better Burger Drive-in
Abilene, TX
Ponca Motel
Abilene, TX
2011: 2021: 2011: 2017:
Larry's Better Burger Drive-in has been around since the 1950s or 1960s. The sign was repainted in 2020. [map]

The Ponca Motel was built in 1928. This sign is probably from the 1940s or 1950s. It originally had neon. The sign was repainted sometime after 2013. For more, see this website. [map]

Hot Spot
Abilene, TX
Royal Inn
Abilene, TX
N-Tune
Music & Sound
Abilene, TX
Towne Crier Steakhouse [gone]
Abilene, TX
The Hot Spot is a tanning salon which opened in 1998. This may be a new sign or a repurposed one. For more, see this website. [map]

The Royal Inn was built in 1958. This giant sign is probably from the 1960s. [map]

This N-Tune Music & Sound store has only been around since the early 2000s. This sign originally advertised for the Caldwell Music Company which opened there in 1946. This sign is probably from the 1950s. [map]

The Towne Crier Steakhouse opened in 1966. This sign appears to be from then. By 2019, the place was housing a Vietnamese restaurant. The neon was removed from the crier panel and it was painted white. The castle details were still on top of the larger panels but the text panel had been replaced. The sign has recently been adapted for the Galveston Seafood Co. [map]

Roberts Studio
Abilene, TX
Callaway's Carpet
Abilene, TX
Roberts Studio opened in 1950. For more, see this website. The photography studio closed around 2012 but these signs remain. [map]

Callaway's Carpet opened in 1963. The neon sign is probably from then. The rooftop sign features the Mohawk Carpet mascot. I'm sure it had more detail originally but has probably been repainted many times. The only other surviving example of these Indian signs that I know of is the one at Westcraft Flooring in Denver, CO. [map]

Farolito Restaurant
Abilene, TX
The Farolito Restaurant opened in 1936. These signs appear to be from the 1950s or 1960s. [map]

Coca-Cola [gone]
Abilene, TX
This Coca-Cola sign was located at a modern bottling plant. I believe the plant was built in 1975. This sign was most likely modern. It might have had LED rope but I could not get close enough to tell because of the fenced lot. By 2023, this sign was gone.

Coca-Cola
Abilene, TX
2011: 2017: 2021:
This rooftop Coca-Cola sign advertised for Coca-Cola and the D&W Tire Company. It was built by the mid-1950s. D&W was selling Goodrich tires and Texaco gas there by the mid-1920s. There was a different rooftop sign then. The building was originally built for the Shelton Motor Co. and sold Buicks. The store later became D&W Furniture. After that, it housed Thomas Everett's Fine Furniture. The Coca-Cola sign's bottom panel was changed with each new business name. The "Drink" and "In Bottles" wording was on the original sign. In 2020, the building and sign were restored. In 2023, restored vintage signs were added inside. They include Federal Electric bulb signs, opal glass Buick signs, skeleton signs, and a Reddy Kilowatt sign. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

MidPoint Cafe
Adrian, TX
Dixie Iron Works
Alice, TX
The MidPoint Cafe takes its name from its location on Route 66 at the halfway point between Chicago and Santa Monica. The restaurant opened in 1956 as Jesse's Cafe. This sign is probably from then. The name was changed to MidPoint Cafe in 1995 and the sign was adapted then. For more, see this website. [map]

Dixie Iron Works was established in 1933. The company has been known as MSI (Manifold Systems Incorporated) since 1987. This sign hangs on one of the company's buildings. The neon tubing holes have been plugged. This was probably built in the 1950s as a pole sign. [map]

Maverick Inn
Alpine, TX
The Maverick Inn was built in the late 1930s as the Grandview Courts. It was known as the Siesta Country Inn until recently. This modern sign was created by Todd Sanders of Roadhouse Relics. [map]

More Alpine:
Cozy Court [map]

American Legion
Amarillo, TX
Big Texan Steak Ranch
Amarillo, TX
The American Legion Post 54 was dedicated in 1949. This sign may date from then. [map]

The Big Texan Steak Ranch has been around since 1959. When I-40 was built in 1970, the restaurant and sign were moved here. The sign originally had neon and bulbs and was much closer to the ground. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Cowboy Motel
Amarillo, TX
2011: 2017:
The Cowboy Motel was built in 1948 as the Del Camino Motel. It became The Cowboy Motel in 1954. This sign is believed to be from 1963 and is now missing its neon and bulbs. By 2013, the sign was repainted and the neon and bulb holes were filled in. Thankfully, the cowboy was not repainted. [map]

Cattleman's Club & Cafe
Amarillo, TX
Ding How Restaurant
Amarillo, TX
2011: 2017: 2011: 2012:
The Cattleman's Club & Cafe sign appears to have had neon originally. It is probably from the 1950s. [map]

The Ding How Restaurant opened in 1956. It has been closed for many years. Around 2012, the sign was painted over. [map]

Circus Room
Amarillo, TX
The Circus Room nightclub opened in 1962. This sign appears to be from then. [map]

Teddy Jack's Armadillo Grill
Amarillo, TX
Teddy Jack's Armadillo Grill was built in 2017. These retro signs were built then. There are similar signs at the Teddy Jack's Hub City Grill in Lubbock, TX. [map]

Western Builders
Amarillo, TX
Western Builders was established in 1955. I don't know when the concrete sign on the front of their building was built. My guess would be 1960s. [map]

More Amarillo:
Air-O-Tel [vintage; gone]
Arrow Motel
Eastridge Lanes
Greyhound
Hamlet Shopping Center
Santa Fe Building
Silver Spur Motel
Southlawn Plaza

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