There was a bustle of people in downtown Bryan tonight -- perhaps because Kinky Frideman was on- stage around the corner.  The Queen Theater was lit in her glory - highlight by the street lamps on Main Street.  It was quite a different building when I was last at TX A&M in 2011.

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The Queen Theatre's  neon lights, sign, marquee and 200 pound crown have been restored to their full glory. It was first lit up in 1939. The Queen Theatre underwent a $160,000 renovation to the exterior, got a new roof, and asbestos abatement on the inside. It is now an event venue.

Queen Theater
Bryan, Texas

 



parking in rear

 

Alas, the Ding How Chinese Restaurant is no more.  The overgrown parking lot in the rear is a vacant lot.  The large sign first attracted my attention blocks away but when I got closer I noticed it was painted all black-- but you can find some nice images of the original sign on-line.  The building was interesting but peeks through the door revealed a hoarder's paradise.  I wonder if the newer Golden Lotus that went up next door led to Ding How's demise.  The façade neon signs still offer chow mein and chop suey but no chow no more at Ding How.

 



 



 



Ding How Restaurant

2415 East Amarillo Boulevard (Route 66)

Amarillo, Texas

3.13.2015

 



the carwash

 

This carwash is cool at night but the best thing about it is that it is located across the street from Politz's Seafood Restaurant.

 

535 Saint Mary Street

Thibodaux, Louisiana

 



trick or treat!

 

What do zombies and other ghouls want for Halloween?  Voodoo doughnuts, of course.  This popular Portland delicacy is widely known.  We were at the original location in Old Town; the shops are open 24/7 and there was a line out the door at 4:00 p.m. so unfortunately, I've yet to sample a Voodoo doughnut!

 

Voodoo Doughnut

Portland, Oregon

10.14.2014

yee-haw

 

I am a sucker for old neon signs -- especially those motel signs.  As I looked back over my Tucson trip, I found scores of retro signs.  According to their webpage, The Quarter Horse Motel was established in the 1940s.  The motel capitalizes on Benson's western heritage and its proximity to Tombstone.  As I pack for another adventure, I know that the Marriott sign will look just like those on every other Marriott property.  Too bad!

 

The Quarter Horse Motel

Benson, Arizona

2.28.2014

I'm here!

 

This sign near the hotel caught my eye.  I can't tell if the place is a costume shop or a comedy club -- it has listings for both.  In any case, I'm here in Fort Lauderdale and not in the mental ward -- yet!

 

1931 S. Federal Highway

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

be happy

 

The neon sign at the Blue Light advises you to "be happy."  Happy hour here would make you happy; unfortunately for the mature crowd, happy hour for the college kids begins about bed time at 10 p.m.  Located in the Depot District, buildings along the former Avenue H were commercial hot spots during the 30s and 40s.  During those days "be happy" was probably a coke at this former drug store.

 

Blue Light

1806 Buddy Holly Avenue

Lubbock, Texas

seattle's best in south dakota

 

Seattle's Best Coffee Shop in the Alex Johnson Hotel is a cozy place to get out of the rain while sight-seeing.  This historic hotel, which is listed on the Historic Hotels of America, a National Trust for Historic Preservation  was built in 1928 and features Native American motifs, including carved Indian heads like on the famed nickel.  Unlike the six Presidents who have stayed here, I am at the Howard Johnson up the hill.

Alex Johnson Hotel
Rapid City, South Dakota

neon cactus

Tucson is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west and 5he saguaro blossom is the state flower of Arizona.   To view the saguaros in their natural habitat, drive the scenic loop in the Saguaro National Park ( I used my national park senior pass and entered for free).  Or you could drive down Drachman Street and see the 30-foot neon saguaro.  It was erected in 2010 as a tribute to the neon signs of yore. The southbound side reads "Tucson," the northbound "Miracle Mile." The road on which it stands was the first divided highway in Arizona, and was called "The Miracle Mile of Safety" when it opened in 1937.

Tucson, Arizona
3.1.2014

sign of the time

Back in the 1950′s and 60′s when the automobile was king, Tucson’s  Miracle Mile was a passage aglow with the neon signs of motor courts beckoning tourists with promises of swimming pools, lush courtyards, desert gardens and names like  La Siesta, El Rey, Frontier, and El Rancho.. Today, some of these  old establishments are still in business while others stand abandoned and deteriorating signs.  Preserve Tucson restored and reinstalled a series of historic neon signs along Drachman (between Stone Avenue and Oracle Road) along the alignment of Tucson's Historic Route 80 & 89 and State Route 84.  Click here neon signs to see a photo essay of the old signs.  (This blue sky is in contrast with the dreary clouds and 20 degrees welcoming me back home!)

Tucson Inn
Tucson, Arizona
2.28.2014

s is for santa

 

Jux.Ta.Posh describes itself as a shop where salvage meets style.  It is an interesting mix of antique and junque.  Comments heard include "we used to have one of those" to "I want that."  I like that the big neon S stays lit overnight and greets me as I go to the Ranch House for breakfast.  S is for Sandy.

 

Jux.Ta.Posh

1702 Buddy Holly Avenue

Lubbock, Texas

get your kicks on route 66

 

There are still glimpses of the past glamour of road travel on Route 66 to be found on Central Avenue.  The motels of the 1940s and 50s are being razed, although the signs remain - a good historic decision.  The neon sign at the El Don is one of eight in Albuquerque on the New Mexico Register of Cultural Properties.  You can still stay there - close to Old Town -- and they advertise cheap daily and weekly rates.

 

El Don Motel

2222 Central Avenue SW

Albuquerque, New Mexico

not the california one

Hollywood Nails

Village Shopping Center

82nd and Quaker

Lubbock, Texas

all that jazz

If the Louisiana Kitchen were built today instead of 25 years ago, it might not have a neon sign.

Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen

3703 19th Street

Lubbock, Texas