West Hollywood, California is hosting a display of neon signs and art that were once displayed along Route 66. These have been temporarily placed along Santa Monica Boulevard, which at one point was part of the old Route 66, and which still has quite a few neon signs of its own advertising businesses along that street.
Some of these signs are the ones on the limited exhibition; others are permanently located there. Descriptions of these neons comes from On Route-66 Lights, a brochure put out by the city of West Hollywood.
1 and 2. Zinke's Shoe Repair sign from their store in Glendale. It was built in 1928 and was donated to the Museum of Neon Art in 1983. These two photos are from the front and back sides of the display along the center median on Santa Monica Boulevard; each side is in a different color combination, and each is an animated sign, with the hammers moving up and down to strike the heel of the shoe, creating the spark.
3. Quick Splash 'n' Dash Carwash is an ongoing self-serve manual car wash on Santa Monica Boulevard. It is also an animated sign, with the "water" spray moving continuously.
4. The Dancing Couple sign graced La Fonda Mexican Food restaurant in Glendale, CA from 1946 to 1984, when it was donated to the Museum of Neon Art.
5. Baby Blues BBQ restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard features this sexy temptress in a side window. Since sex sells, she is leaning back, ready for a squirt of Baby Blues' killer house-standard XXX Porno Sauce.
6. The original Diver sign, built in 1950, was located at the Virginia Court Motel in Meridian, Mississippi. When the hotel was demolished in 2000, the sign was saved and is located at the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles. The sign on display in West Hollywood is a replica.
I remember you showing me many of these through Skype. I especially love the girls in the bathing suits. They are so 50s pinup! It`s is so cool that they have been saved and kept at the Museum.
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