NenaE Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) Link to neon (old & new): http://www.flickr.com/search/groups/?w=673...ston&m=poolThis search left me with questions:Included in this nice photo collection are several signs I would like to know more about:The Continental Club sign - the sign looks very old, but search articles talk of a new nightclub...what's the history?3th ward sign - what business was it?and just if you are interested - there is a nice orange neon sign from the Sears on Shepherd, and the burger chef man sign. Edited January 15, 2009 by NenaE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyt7801 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Great pictures! Does anybody have any pictures of the old David Mcdavid sign near Woodridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 One is the old Savoy U-Pack-Em at 4402 Dowling (intersection of Dowling and Wheeler) - most recently Club Savoyhttp://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source...890386062701182 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmariar Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 The Continental Club sign - the sign looks very old, but search articles talk of a new nightclub...what's the history?Nena - Houston's Continental Club has been around a while, but is not what I'd call old. But it's related to Austin's Continental Club, which is old (1957). The Houston club is run and staffed by some pretty cool people. They book out-of-town bands, but also have local cover bands with weekly shows. Beetle (a Beatles cover band) plays for happy hour on Thursday nights, and Molly & the Ringwalds (80's) plays for happy hour on Friday nights. I was just looking at their calendar and saw that the Allen Oldies Band ('50's & '60's covers) is playing this Sunday night at Continental's sister bar - Big Top - a few doors down. If any of that sounds like your kind of thing, you should go by sometime - that little block of businesses (Continental, Sig's, Tacos-a-Go-Go, Big Top, and the Mink) is sandwiched between the Ensemble light rail stop and the corner of Main and Alabama, and was the subject of a column in this week's Press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 (edited) What colors were the old North Main Theater sign? I know the vertical stripes over the windows were red and black. Was it animated? Edited January 16, 2009 by Dan the Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 (edited) What colors were the old North Main Theater sign? I know the vertical stripes over the windows were red and black. Was it animated? Looked in the Cinema Houston book, but haven't found an answer, address was 3730 North Main...says the marquee was replaced in the 1970's when it switched to Spanish films. In 1993, had a a "painted-over marquee". How sad... . Also looked under Bob Bailey Collection/ Theaters/ other ...no night shots to tell if illuminated. (but, as usual, there were some interesting pics.) Edited January 16, 2009 by NenaE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 I was always fascinated by this sign. It scared me, reminded me of a James Bond torture device. Little did I know, as a young child, it was a microscope. Had an ominous, colorful, blinking display. It was located right before Hwy 288, on OST. The building is a nice 1960's design, for a mere car repair shop (pre-Micro-Club). Had a nice planter box on the front, brick facade, and two covered carports, one on each side, at one time.  First photo source: Houston: an architectural guide (AIA) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted June 14, 2014 Author Share Posted June 14, 2014 (edited) source: GoogleEarth... not the best quality, but documents what is there. Edited June 14, 2014 by NenaE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 (edited) I have been looking for a picture of this sign for a very long time, and almost can't believe I finally found one. About the only thing better would be a video (the sign lit up sequentially as the rocket blasted off).  This was located on the Gulf Freeway, and was always a prominent landmark on trips to Galveston.  Edited June 15, 2014 by mkultra25 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 This big fellow: Â 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 You know, Dallas saw fit to save this: Â Â And Portland Oregon made a local symbol by preserving this: Â Â So why couldn't Houston have done the same with Holder's sign? Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Anybody remember the neon roach at Holder's Pest control on the Southwest Freeway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) The roach is in Subdude's post, above.The Mobil pegasus was always a favorite of mine.  http://www.chemheritage.org/discover/media/magazine/articles/30-2-a-blaze-of-crimson-light-the-story-of-neon.aspx?page=3 ...a link about the first neon signs Edited June 16, 2014 by NenaE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purpledevil Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Mkultra, you never cease to amaze. The Bill McDavid Olds sign! Where on earth did you find that??If you've got one of the old Sam Montgomery "Rocket City" Oldsmobile sign from the other end of 45, you will forever become the "King of the Haifers" in my eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Mkultra, you never cease to amaze. The Bill McDavid Olds sign! Where on earth did you find that??If you've got one of the old Sam Montgomery "Rocket City" Oldsmobile sign from the other end of 45, you will forever become the "King of the Haifers" in my eyes. I've occasionally googled "Bill McDavid Oldsmobile" over the years, in hopes of finding a picture. Never hit paydirt until now - I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw it.  I did the same thing for Sam Montgomery shortly thereafter, hoping that lightning would strike twice, but alas, it was not to be. But hope springs eternal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share Posted June 18, 2014 I remember the rocket sign on the Gulf Freeway and the jingle for Tommie Vaughn Ford. It's fitting that the first signs in the U.S. were  for a car dealership in Los Angeles..."Packard".   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue92 Posted July 23, 2014 Share Posted July 23, 2014 I remember in the late 60s driving down OST at night it looked like the strip in Vegas with all the neon lights lit up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libbie Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Does anyone remember a neon sign that was a big loaf of bread, perpetually being sliced? It advertized Fair-made Bread (which was later re-named Rainbow Bread). The huge, moving bread loaf was atop a building, near the South Main Sears--possibly actually on top of Sears. This memory is from the mid-1950s or even earlier. It's a crisp, clear, very early childhood memory. But when I'm near the Main Street Sears I remember it, start wondering if it was on Sears or on a nearby building, and start wondering if anybody but me remembers it. Does anybody? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Does anyone remember a neon sign that was a big loaf of bread, perpetually being sliced? It advertized Fair-made Bread (which was later re-named Rainbow Bread). The huge, moving bread loaf was atop a building, near the South Main Sears--possibly actually on top of Sears. This memory is from the mid-1950s or even earlier. It's a crisp, clear, very early childhood memory. But when I'm near the Main Street Sears I remember it, start wondering if it was on Sears or on a nearby building, and start wondering if anybody but me remembers it. Does anybody?  Is this it?   According to this page, it was on top of the Fair Maid Bakery at Leeland and Cullen.  https://bill37mccurdy.wordpress.com/tag/houston-buffs/page/8/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 That was mentioned in another thread, it was visible from Buff Stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libbie Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Is this it?   According to this page, it was on top of the Fair Maid Bakery at Leeland and Cullen.  https://bill37mccurdy.wordpress.com/tag/houston-buffs/page/8/  That might have been it, if it was visible from Main at Wheeler, and if the slices moved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) We went to that Sears very often when we came to town and I don't remember the sign at all. However, it would have been very unusual for us to be there after dark. Beyond that I have been trying for days to remember Fair-Maid bread and can't. Perhaps it wasn't distributed where I grew up (Lake Jackson) or maybe my mother just never bought it. The breads I remember from the 40s and 50s were Schott's Holsum bread and Mrs. Baird's.  Edited to keep from hi-jacking the thread. Edited July 30, 2014 by brucesw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purpledevil Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 The only sign that I can ever remember on top of the South Main Sears is the same one that's still there. I don't know if the neon still lights up, but it used to have the "Sears" name illuminated in red neon, with a smaller "Open 'til 9" neon flashing beneath it. No sliced bread sign that I ever recall on top of the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle C Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 On top of Bank of the Southwest, I not only remember the large revolving sign but also the infamous weather ball. There used to be jingle that was played o the radio that explained what the different colors indicated. The only part of the jingle I remember is the Last few words of it. "Blinking light, rain is due". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Libbie Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 And wasn't there a jack-o-lantern-like Gulf Oil sign on top of the Gulf Building (now the J.P. Morgan Chase building on Main Street, I think) long ago? Yes, there was; it's coming back to me! My mother used to say that it messed up the beautiful sky-line of Houston. At age six I didn't mind it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tumbleweed_Tx Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 you can see the Gulf sign on top of their old building in the 1972 police helicopter video that is posted in this sub section somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucesw Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 There have been several discussions of the Gulf lollipop with pictures posted in this forum.  The weather ball was atop the Continental Oil/Conoco building on Main, also discussed before with pictures in this forum.  Bank of the Southwest had it's name in big letters on two faces of the building, not on top. There are probably pictures in this forum, also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Those neon signs really took on another life at night. Today's signs just aren't the same. The illusion of moving parts was very captivating. I always wondered as a kid, how they did that...for example, the ever popular (red and yellow) arrow,  with perfectly timed, consecutive blinking lights, simulating motion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle C Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 There have been several discussions of the Gulf lollipop with pictures posted in this forum. The weather ball was atop the Continental Oil/Conoco building on Main, also discussed before with pictures in this forum. Bank of the Southwest had it's name in big letters on two faces of the building, not on top. There are probably pictures in this forum, also.Your correct, the weather ball was on the Conoco building, I think my mind is beginning to slip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purpledevil Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 We can't forget the iconic Dance Town U.S.A. neon signs on Airline at Rittenhouse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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