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San Antonio Signs

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Little Red Barn
Steakhouse
San Antonio, TX
Plaza Del Rey Ballroom
& Bingo Hall
San Antonio, TX
DeWese's Tip Top Cafe
San Antonio, TX
The Little Red Barn Steakhouse opened in 1963. This sign appears to be from then. [map]

The Plaza Del Rey Ballroom & Bingo Hall sign might be from the 1940s or 1950s. This photo is from 2011. The very top element was bent in 2013 and is gone now. The paint is also more faded and peeling. [map]

DeWese's Tip Top Cafe opened in 1938. This sign is probably from the 1950s. This photo is from 2011. The paint has faded since then. For more, see this website. [map]

Hopp's Audio
Video Appliances [gone]
San Antonio, TX
Art's Atlas Muffler Shop
San Antonio, TX
Red McCombs Auto Group
San Antonio, TX
This Hopp's Audio Video Appliances store later housed Appliances Plus. These neon Frigidaire signs were mass-produced. These signs were still there in 2016 but gone by 2018.

Art's Atlas Muffler Shop features a muffler-shaped sign. [map]

Red McCombs Auto Group was established in 1958. This sign may be from then. It was removed in 2022 during construction. I don't know if it will be reinstalled. [map]

Morris
Apartment
Hotel
San Antonio, TX
Fitch Insurance [gone]
San Antonio, TX
Randy's Bingo
& Ballroom
San Antonio, TX
Judson's
Candy Factory
San Antonio, TX
The Morris Apartment Hotel sign is probably from the 1940s. [map]

Fitch Insurance was established in 1915. This sign was probably from the 1940s or 1950s. It was gone by 2023.

The Randy's Bingo & Ballroom building originally housed Bandera Bowling. In the 1960s, the building was converted into a live music venue, known as Randy's Rodeo. This sign was built then. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

The former Judson's Candy Factory building was converted into lofts in 2008. This photo is from 2018. I don't know if this is a refurbished or replica sign. The plastic cover protects the neon tubing. For more, see this website. [map]

Tucker's Kozy Korner
San Antonio, TX
Tucker's Kozy Korner opened as a hot dog and hamburger stand in 1948. The pole sign might be from the 1950s or 1960s. I don't know what text is underneath the tacked on "Lounge" panel. The "Mixed Drinks" arrow is either modern or reworked. The horizontal sign appears to be older with modern, backlit letters applied. For more, see this website. [map]

Carpenters Local No. 14
San Antonio, TX
Texas Neon
Advertising Company
San Antonio, TX
Airport Security Parking
San Antonio, TX
Alamo Street Market
San Antonio, TX
Carnation Milk
San Antonio, TX
The Carpenters Local No. 14 labor union was established in 1910. This sign appears to be from the 1950s. The middle part of the sign appears to have revolved. The organization has moved but this sign remains. [map]

The Texas Neon Advertising Company was established in 1925. This sign might be from the 1960s. [map]

Airport Security Parking was established in 1969. This sign may be from then. [map]

The Alamo Street Market sign hangs above Tito's Mexican Restaurant. The tubing holes seem to indicate that the "Alamo" letters at the top are original but the patched holes below indicate that the text read something else. Tito's has been there since 2003. The design of the sign panels appears to be from the 1940s or earlier. Does anyone know what the sign advertised for originally? [map]

This Carnation Milk sign is installed next to the B&D Ice House which is a BBQ restaurant and bar. The B&D Ice House functioned as a bar when it opened in 1961. This sign appears to be from the 1960s but I don't know why it would have been installed at a bar unless it also functioned as a corner store. The area behind the raised "Carnation" was probably painted red originally. [map]

Nagel's Gun Shop
San Antonio, TX
Nagel's Gun Shop opened in 1942. These signs appear to be from the 1950s. [map]

Ray's Drive Inn
San Antonio, TX
Ray's Drive Inn opened in 1956. The pole sign may be from then or the 1960s. I have no idea of the age of the neon sign on the wire mesh over the roof. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Family Life
Christian Center
San Antonio, TX
Hung Fong
Chinese Restaurant
San Antonio, TX
Tai Sun Chinese Restaurant [gone]
San Antonio, TX
The Family Life Christian Center rooftop sign may have advertised originally for Sheh's Pharmacy. [map]

The Hung Fong Chinese Restaurant opened in 1939. For more, see this website. [map]

The Tai Sun Chinese Restaurant supposedly opened in 1998. This sign looks much older than that. Perhaps the lettering was changed from a previous business. This photo is from 2008. By 2013, the neon was gone and the sign had new plastic panels. By 2021, the pagoda roof part on top of the sign and new panels were there for a pawn shop. [map]

Seyara Motor Co.
San Antonio, TX
Ranch Motel
San Antonio, TX
J. Ross Boles
San Antonio, TX
Masonic Lodge
San Antonio, TX
Tong's Thai
Restaurant
San Antonio, TX
The Seyara Motor Co. used car lot sign has been updated many times over the years. Does anyone know what the original name was? This sign is probably from the 1950s. This photo is from 2011. There is now another used car business there now. [map]

The Ranch Motel opened in 1948 and this sign is probably from then. In 2022, it was announced that the motel was going to be developed as a boutique hotel and the sign will be restored. For more, see this website. [map]

J. Ross Boles was established in 1929. This sign is probably from the 1950s or so. The store relocated long ago but this sign remains on the lot. [map]

These Masonic Lodge signs appear to be from the 1950s. [map]

Tong's Thai Restaurant opened in 2004. This sign has obviously been adapted from a previous business. Does anyone know what was here originally? This photo is from 2011. By 2016, the sign's neon was gone and the rectangular panels had been replaced with digital message boards. [map]

Central Boot &
Shoe Repair Co. [gone]
San Antonio, TX
Owl Cleaners
San Antonio, TX
Tower Garage
San Antonio, TX
Ever Kleen Motel
San Antonio, TX
The Central Boot & Shoe Repair Co. was established in 1914. This sign appears to be from the 1950s. Around 2014, the store became San Antonio Shoe & Luggage Repair and the sign was removed. It was replaced with a plastic box sign.

The Owl Cleaners building now houses Laura's Dry Cleaning but this sign remains. [map]

The Tower Garage was built around 1955. This sign appears to be from then. [map]

The Ever Kleen Motel sign was probably built in the 1940s. This photo is from 2011. By 2016, the sign had been repainted and the neon was removed. In 2018, the remains of LED tubing was draped over some of the sign's letters. For more, see this website. [map]

Casa Rio Mexican Food
San Antonio, TX
Acme Lumber Co. [gone]
San Antonio, TX
The Casa Rio Mexican Food restaurant opened in 1946. For more, see this website. [map]

The Acme Lumber Co. was established in 1944. This store closed in 2008. The sign was still there in 2011 when this photo was taken. By 2013, the neon letters had been removed and the panels had been painted white.

Alamo Music Center
San Antonio, TX
The Alamo Music Center was established in 1927. These neon signs appear to be from the 1950s. For more, see this website. [map]

County Line BBQ
San Antonio, TX
Gringo's Kitchen (now Nicha's Comida Mexicana)
San Antonio, TX
The first County Line BBQ restaurant opened in Austin in 1975. There are now nine locations. There are a couple smaller but similar signs in Austin but this is the biggest sign in the chain. The original sign in Austin was designed in 1995 by Evan Voyles of Neon Jungle. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]

Gringo's Mexican Kitchen was established in 1993 in Pearland, TX. There are now nine locations in the Houston area. This location closed sometime after 2006 when this photo was taken. By 2011, second photo, the sign had been adapted by Nicha's Comida Mexicana. The Gringo's sign was inspired by the Welcome sign in Las Vegas. [map]

Cavender's Boot City
San Antonio, TX
Cavender's Boot City was established in 1965. There are now about 50 locations, mostly in Texas, selling boots and Western style clothing. This appears to be a modern sign. The design may have been inspired by Bonanza Homes signs. There is a similar Cavender's sign in Conroe, TX. For more, see this website. [map]

More San Antonio:
Acapulco Drive Inn [gone]
Bun n Barrel
Club Prelude [vintage; gone]
Comet Gas [vintage; gone]
Crockett Hotel
Fontana Motel [gone]
La Esmeralda Bakery
Pizza Hut
Rollercade
Robert E. Lee Hotel

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