Hippo Hardware

Hippo Hardware Store, 1921

Hippo Hardware has carried these signs since 1976. The most striking part of the display is the crowned and toga-ed hippos on pedestals adorning the six curbside columns. Hippo Hardware is on the corner of SE 11th and Burnside.

2009:

Rebel SK8s

Building: 1950

This sign is obviously way out of the normal for the type I chronicle here. Two reasons: 1) I like it for its color, attitude and home-made quality. And 2) I'm lazy after a long Memorial day weekend. Enjoy this yourself at SE Ankeny at Sandy.

2009:

Cromwell Tailors

Hippo Hardware Store Building, 1921

The back of the Hippo Hardware store at SE 11th and Burnside has this nice old sign. The top line is pretty sketchy but it's something like,

??? Tailored
Clothing
CROMWELL
TAILORS
The view is obscured by trees on SE 11th, so go down to SE 10th and Ankeny to see this sign.

2009:

Loans

1931

There's very little of this "MORTGAGE LOANS" sign left to see. Most painted signs just fade into obscurity; this one is peeling off. I wouldn't give it too many years to be even this visible. The top photo is the best view of the sign, from the adjoining parking lot. The bottom photo is the sidewalk view. More ascetically pleasing but mostly obscured by trees.

This is on the east wall of the Old Wives' Tales restaurant at SE 13th and Burnside.

2009:

Balzer Machinery Co.

By the looks of the script, this sign looks like it may date back to the 1970s. It's degrading nicely and the original orange paint has a nice rust-like look about it. This is on the north side of the building; there's another similar one on the south side. See it from SE 8th and Lincoln.

2009:

Miller's Truck Parts & Equipment Co.

1937

This still-colorful sign on the back of the Portland Engine Rebuilders shop has at least two layers. I can't read the yellow-lettered lower layer but the top white letters are still quite visible

MILLER'S TRUCK PARTS & EQUIPMENT CO.
TRUCK PARTS - TIRES
The building is at SE 10th and Hawthorne; the sign is best seen from Madison.

2009:

Empire Rubber & Supply

Part of the Empire Rubber & Supply Co. complex at SE Water & Taylor suffered a fire in September 2008. During the ongoing restoration process most of the building has been repainted and the old signs on the west and north have not been restored. The east wall, facing the railroad tracks, has not been repainted and the old sign still remains.

For now this will go into the Extinct category. We'll see if all the signs reappear in the near future. Stay tuned...

2007 (west wall):
2009 (west wall):
2007 (north wall):
2009 (north wall):
2007 (east wall):
2009 (east wall):

Salesroom 2nd & Taylor

Chas. H. Lilly Co. Building, 1911

The back side of the Chas. H. Lilly Co. building featured earlier has one more sign, this one on the west facing wall. It's below the all-too-obvious "CITY SIGN CO." at the top.

"SALESROOM ??? 2nd & TAYLOR" can be made out fairly easily. If you can read the word after Salesroom, let me know. You can see if from SE 2nd between Oak and Ash.

2009: