Help identify the origins of this neon sign!
March 1, 2012 1:59 PM Subscribe
5-10 years ago (possibly longer?) this neon "O" sign was found in a dumpster in St. Louis. Where did it come from and/or what company/business/product does it represent?
It has its own on/off switch and power cord, and thus may have been a standalone thing (but that's just a guess).
Hivemind: Help me figure this out!
It has its own on/off switch and power cord, and thus may have been a standalone thing (but that's just a guess).
Hivemind: Help me figure this out!
Best answer: It's a pretty standard can letter of fairly recent vintage. Take it apart and transcribe any makers marks or stamps inside?
If you think it worthy of more investigation, you could contact Bill Christman of "Joes Cafe". He has been assembling a pretty impressive (but yet to open, formally) St Louis sign museum for many years, and is the de facto STL sign historian.
He's written books on STL sign history and if he doesn't know, he'll know someone who might. He's a bit of a technophobe, so you'll have to give him a telephone call; might have to print and (postal) mail him the picture. (not joking)
(He's a pretty gifted signmaker, as well -- some of the more bombastic and memorable signs on the U-City Loop are his creations -- and while I [a signmaker from another generation entirely] have had disagreements about some of his luddite stances and his sort of... orthodoxy, I have to say that his work is A+ good and worth preservation.)
posted by jjjjjjjijjjjjjj at 2:17 PM on March 1, 2012 [7 favorites]
If you think it worthy of more investigation, you could contact Bill Christman of "Joes Cafe". He has been assembling a pretty impressive (but yet to open, formally) St Louis sign museum for many years, and is the de facto STL sign historian.
He's written books on STL sign history and if he doesn't know, he'll know someone who might. He's a bit of a technophobe, so you'll have to give him a telephone call; might have to print and (postal) mail him the picture. (not joking)
(He's a pretty gifted signmaker, as well -- some of the more bombastic and memorable signs on the U-City Loop are his creations -- and while I [a signmaker from another generation entirely] have had disagreements about some of his luddite stances and his sort of... orthodoxy, I have to say that his work is A+ good and worth preservation.)
posted by jjjjjjjijjjjjjj at 2:17 PM on March 1, 2012 [7 favorites]
I see it's standalone, so probably not this, but it reminded me of the Jimmy John's sign.
posted by cashman at 2:30 PM on March 1, 2012
posted by cashman at 2:30 PM on March 1, 2012
If I was guessing, I'd guess Pizzeria Uno.
Where in St. Louis? That might be helpful. Did you find it or did someone else, and are you sure that they didn't add the switch and cord after the fact?
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 2:44 PM on March 1, 2012
Where in St. Louis? That might be helpful. Did you find it or did someone else, and are you sure that they didn't add the switch and cord after the fact?
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 2:44 PM on March 1, 2012
Also, what does the back of it look like? Knowing how it was mounted might be a clue.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 2:46 PM on March 1, 2012
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 2:46 PM on March 1, 2012
Response by poster: Sign was located on Hereford Street in South St. Louis. Unaltered.
Photos of the back and power supply pack.
(Thank you for all the answers so far!)
posted by ariela at 2:54 PM on March 1, 2012
Photos of the back and power supply pack.
(Thank you for all the answers so far!)
posted by ariela at 2:54 PM on March 1, 2012
It's likely that it was part of a larger outdoor sign, which was then broken up and converted afterwards to be used as decoration.
posted by zsazsa at 3:08 PM on March 1, 2012
posted by zsazsa at 3:08 PM on March 1, 2012
Woot! used to have an office in south St. Louis near Tower Grove Park. Not sure if that's their O, but the name does have a favorable O-to-word-length ratio.
posted by Ostara at 3:47 PM on March 1, 2012
posted by Ostara at 3:47 PM on March 1, 2012
If it helps, here's the Google Maps Street View link for the exact dumpster it was left in.
posted by neuracnu at 4:14 PM on March 1, 2012
posted by neuracnu at 4:14 PM on March 1, 2012
Technically, it is Woot's O now, but not because it was part of the logo.
posted by dancoulter at 4:22 PM on March 1, 2012
posted by dancoulter at 4:22 PM on March 1, 2012
My best guess is Sanyo. It was really tough finding an 'o' that had an oblique tilt.
posted by hanoixan at 5:52 PM on March 1, 2012
posted by hanoixan at 5:52 PM on March 1, 2012
It's not really oblique, that's just the angle of the photo. Look at the back: http://i42.tinypic.com/rsrneq.jpg
posted by dancoulter at 6:00 PM on March 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by dancoulter at 6:00 PM on March 1, 2012 [1 favorite]
Was there a Boston Market anywhere around there?
posted by itstheclamsname at 2:24 AM on March 2, 2012
posted by itstheclamsname at 2:24 AM on March 2, 2012
Uhhh Red Mango?
posted by InterestedInKnowing at 7:39 AM on March 2, 2012
posted by InterestedInKnowing at 7:39 AM on March 2, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sexyrobot at 2:11 PM on March 1, 2012