Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Neon News and Links

 An interesting and thoughtful story on the recent neon revival by Christopher Ross at Punch (with some good quotes by yours truly).  

 Some really crappy news from Brooklyn: Montero's Bar on Atlantic Avenue is poised to join the ranks of the lost so that we can have more luxury condos.  (More on Montero's here.)


On the skids: Montero's of Brooklyn. (T. Rinaldi)

 Meanwhile, in Manhattan, word on the impending demise of the Raccoon Lodge bar on Warren Street (along with seven other neighboring bars and restaurants).  Says Eater: the developer "to tear all the buildings down and build a 46,000-square-foot condo development."

 In Queens, we have lost the big United Airlines sign at LaGuardia Airport, along with half of LaGuardia's original art deco hanger buildings.  


RIP: United Neon at LaGuardia. (T. Rinaldi)

 Via Debra Jane Seltzer, news of a new sign museum coming soon to The Dalles, Oregon (yes this is an actual place name), about 90 minutes east of Portland.

 At the Ephemeral New York blog, some love for the great W43rd Street Garage sign near Times Square.

 Uptown, the "Old Fashion' But Good" M&G Soul Food sign has resurfaced, at Streetbird restaurant at 116th and Frederick Douglass Blvd.


The M&G Diner sign, in situ back in 2008.  (T. Rinaldi)

 An "Unsung Architectural Oasis" - with lots of neon - from our friends at the NYT.

 From Project Neon, a photographic homage to the Georgia Diner sign in Elmhurst, Queens.

 "The Romance of Retro Cinemas" - a brilliant series of neon theater marquees by Stephanie Klavens, via CNN.com.

 When in San Francisco, be sure to check out a gallery exhibit of photographs by San Francisco Neon authors Al Barna and Randall Ann Homan - they're giving neon tours, too!  Details at this link

 The mysterious cemetery neon of Los Angeles.

 Spectacular images from Vancouver's midcentury neon heyday, at slate.com.  

 Out west, Debra Jane Seltzer has recently rounded off epic 14-day sign safari in Washington, Oregon and Northern California.  Start at Day 14 and work your way back. 

 Some good vintage neon (not NYC) from Shorpy:  
   "Snow's Laundry" - Columbus, GA, 1953
   "Desert News" - St. George, Utah, 1957
   "Coffee Shop Cadillac" - Boston, MA, 1964
   "Newstand Noir" - San Rafael, CA, 1957

 Not neon, but still pretty cool: original Whitney Museum signage recently exhumed down on Eighth Street in the Village.

MANY THANKS to Rob Yasinsac, Rick Zimmerman, Stu Gewirtzman, Jeremiah's Vanishing New York, Debra Jane Seltzer and Martin Treu's "Signs Streets & Storefronts" Facebook feed for the leads above.