Portland Ice Cream Co. Update

Last year the shop at SE Hawthorne & 42nd Avenue began renovations and uncovered some old Portland Ice Cream Co. signs. Shortly after that Ray Taylor sent this image of the original signage from years ago. Oddly, the photo was stuck to the inside of the glass as I took my photo, I completely missed it. Thanks, Ray, for being more observant than I (and sorry for the delay in posting it).

4124 N. Miss Ave Update

The two little hand-painted tin address signs embedded it the retaining wall at 4124 N. Missippi Ave were among the most quaint and personal signs we've seen on this blog. Unfortunately they are now gone, haphazardly painted over with a spray can and oak leaf stencil. Sadly, these go into the extinct pile.

2012:

West Bearing & Parts Update

The West Bearing & Parts building, and its cool old sign, were reduced to rubble in late June, 2011.

2011:

Darby's Reducer Update

The "Darby's Reducer" ad at SE 6th and Hawthorne has been covered by a giant plastic banner. It has not been painted or pasted over, but its long term prospects are iffy. See the original sign here.

2010:

Ruby Mist Update 2

Here's a quick update on the completely covered Ruby Mist sign since we last saw it. Check out the original post here and an updated post partway through its coverup.

2010:

Goldstar Update

East Morrison Apartments, 1928

The old Goldstar sign featured last year is no more. Its removal revealed another, unreadable, ghost sign underneath.

2010:

Apostolic Faith

Apostolic Faith Church Building, 1922

The Apostolic Faith Church built their handsome brick building at NW 6th and Burnside in 1922. They left the building in about 1982 and Starry Night (now Roseland Theater) moved in. This 6th Avenue marquee remained for another quarter century, the words "APOSTOLIC FAITH" slowly weathering away. The whole thing was replaced in 2009.

Incidentally, the front of the building was physically moved 20 feet to the north when Burnside was widened in 1930. This building also housed the "JESUS - THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD" sign on its roof, a Portland skyline fixture for many years.

2008:
2009:

1968:

Arthur Cole Candy Co.

Look quickly! This sign is going away soon, if it's not gone already. The Arthur Cole Candy Co. has been here at NE 14th and Alberta for about 20 years but has recently moved out near the airport. The old structure is being converted to a mixed use structure with live/work units.

2009:

Cafe Food

Building, 1909

Before it was Demetri's Restaurant & Lounge at the corner of West Burnside and SW 17th, it was a cafe of some sort. Demetri's threw a neon sign over part of the old sign on the west wall and painted over the rest.

Demetri's is now gone, and along with it the neon sign, leaving just a remnant of the painted sign. At least that's how it was when Samuel John Klein captured the first photo in July 2009. Even that little bit is gone now; the second photo shows it in October of 2009. Google Street View (bottom) shows how the old Demetri's neon looked.

Thanks to Sam for the use of the revealed "CAFE FOOD" photograph from his The ZehnKatzen Times blog.

2009:

CFI Update

Almost a year ago I posted this CFI - Commercial Furnishings Inc. sign that I guessed dated to the 1970s. That sign is now gone, covered by this plastic ad for Chinese sports brand Li Ning Company. CFI goes extinct at NW 10th and Hoyt.

2009:

Kelly's Olympian Update

Page & Son Apartments, 1909

Curious timing on my part. I featured this grand, but new, sign in just my last post. I drove by it over the weekend and discovered it's gone. This one goes in the Extinct pile.

2009:

Kelly's Olympian

Page & Son Apartments, 1909

Following on the heels of the previous not-so-old sign is this decidedly new sign. I include it here just because I like it. It's hard to miss heading out East Burnside at NE 7th Ave.

2008:

Dewar's Update

Last December I posted photos of three new "old" Dewar's Scotch Whisky ads in three locations around town. Apparently that ad campaign is over because the three signs are now completely gone. Put these in the Extinct pile.

West Burnside at SW 3rd:
SW 3rd and Ankeny, behind Dante's:
SE 49th and Hawthorne, at Mt. Tabor Legacy:

Goldstar

East Morrison Apartments, 1928

While certainly not the oldest sign around, I've decided to include this since it has such a nice aura of decrepitude about it. It's on the corner of SE 8th and Morrison.

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):

Louie Louie

Northwestern Studios, 1916

This is a not the kind of advertising sign I'm normally looking for but I thought I'd highlight this missing sign (or plaque), if for no other reason than its impact on popular culture. This building housed the Northwestern Studios in 1963 when The Kingsmen recorded perhaps the best-known version of "Louie Louie" here.

The first photo below shows some vertical white stripes surrounded by four holes. At one time there was a brass plaque here, noting that this was the recording site. It was stolen long ago, leaving nothing but some glue and holes. Soon the whole thing will be gone; the site will be demolished to make way for the new Weave Building. The "ENTRANCE ON 14th STREET" sign, partially visible in the upper-left of the lower photo, will disappear forever too.

See it while you can at SW 13th and West Burnside.

2009:
2009:

Avery & Co. Hardware Update

Trivet Towers, 1902

I had commented on my original post that it looks like the building owner was concerned with preserving this fine old sign. Instead, it appears it was being prepared for what Pete Vogel calls the "brutal abomination" of a vinyl poster stuck atop the old sign. What a terrible loss; this was a great sight to see dead ahead of you coming down SW 3rd from Burnside. Thanks to Pete for reminding me to get a photo of this.

2009:

2008:

Hotel Ray Update

1911

I guess if this was a good advertising location 90 years ago, it's a good advertising location now although it sure isn't pleasing to ghost sign fans. As I posted last September, the demolition of Cindy's Adult Bookstore at the corner of NW 4th and Burnside revealed the old Hotel Ray sign on the adjoining building. Well, 2009 brought this obnoxious tin "U-Store Self Storage" sign, placed squarely atop the old Hotel Ray painted sign. I've placed this in the "extinct" category because it doesn't look like it's going away anytime soon. Sad.

2009:

Dewar's

While not old, vanishing, advertising signs, these signs from a current, ongoing Dewar's whiskey campaign remind us that hand-painted, old style ads can still be produced. I've found three in the Portland area; two downtown and one on SE Hawthorne. All photos taken in 2007.

West Burnside at SW 3rd:

SW 3rd and Ankeny, behind Dante's:

SE 49th and Hawthorne, at Mt. Tabor Legacy:

Thanks to Colossal Media for this video:

Unknown Update

Sometimes it seems like signs are disappearing faster than I can keep up with them. I never was able to establish what this old sign (originally posted here) said, but it's gone now, lost to redevelopment of the 411 NW Park Building.

November 2008:

2007: