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).

Portland Ice Cream Co.

Several generations of ice cream signs were recently uncovered on the corner of SE Hawthorne & 42nd Ave. A building renovation removed the old wood "modernization" paneling to reveal these beauties. Portland Ice Cream Co. was mentioned several times in The Oregonian from the 1940s and 1950s. These signs are likely to disappear again soon. Thanks to Ray Taylor for alerting me to this find.

2012:

Samtrak

Two more Samtrak signs have surfaced in the rail yard area at SE Water Avenue and Caruthers Street, just across from OMSI.

2011:

Coca-Cola

Holman's Restaurant, 1908

Holman's Restaurant, just steps north of SE 28th and Ankeny, sports this terrific old Coca-Cola sign. It's been left intact over the years and shows evidence of other advertising, including "Pharmacy" at the top.

2011:

Flying A Service

The Flying A Service sign on SE McLoughlin just north of Tacoma is visible again. For years it was covered by a sign for a hobby shop in the building but that shop is gone, along with their sign. The Flying A Service sign, nicely weathered after decades in the elements, is visible both north- and southbound.

2011:

Nolan

This old sign looks like it may have once been a "Nolan Rexall Drug" sign. It was spotted December 2010 on the side of the Woodstock Wine & Deli shop at SE 40th and Woodstock.

2010:

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:

Mission Orange

This once-colorful old Mission Orange sign takes some careful sleuthing to find. Tucked under some old cedar trees at the back of an old commercial building at SE 39th and Gladstone, this sign probably once advertised the orange soda at a long-gone grocery store at this location. An almost extinct sign just to the right of this could have been a grocery sign. Thanks again to Jay for telling me about this sign.

Hugo Kern Furniture Refinishing

This "HUGO KERN FURNITURE REFINISHING" and the "CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY" sign above it have been on this west-facing wall of the shop on the corner of SE 39th and Gladstone for decades. The top sign even has a couple of generations of signs painted over. A nice bit of old signage, even though it is marred by some more recent electrical work.

Busy Corner Grocery

Busy Corner Grocery, 1910

The Busy Corner Grocery store has stood at the corner of SE 41st and Raymond for a hundred years. The signs aren't quite that old but they're not newbies either. Stop by and have a look some day; despite the name, the corner isn't so busy any more. Thanks to ghost sign fan Jay for pointing this out.

Wm. Landauer Groceries

Wm. Landauer Mercantile, 1891

I just discovered this beautifully restored sign at the corner of SE 30th and Stark Streets. William Landauer opened his grocery store here in 1891. By 2007 the building was leaning a foot-and-a-half to the southeast and had a giant tree growing into the basement. Read the story of the restoration here.

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:

Merle's Carburetor Inc

This run-down little shop has a decades-old hand-painted sign gracing its front. Classic in its styling, simple in its statement.

The "Sauter Spray Equip." sign off to the right is a more recent signage example. See them both at SE Milwaukie and Woodward.

2009:

Darby's Reducer

"Darn Tootin' I Use Darby's" is hard to miss at SE 6th and Hawthorne. Slightly faded, it's still in pretty good shape and should be visible for decades more.

2009:

Say It With Flowers

This old "Say it with Flowers" sign looks like it may date to the 1970s. Its message of romance is not in character with the industrial parking lot it overlooks at SE 6th and Salmon.

2009:

Sewickly's Home Plate Details

Someone recently attempted a "restoration" of the address at Sewickly's Home Plate/Sewickly Addition. It was an unfortunate attempt, in my opinion. The quicky stencil-and-spray-can job covered up what was probably a hand painted job from decades ago. The building itself dates to 1922.

See for yourself at SE 49th and Hawthorne.

2009:

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:

Truck Entrance

Building, 1923

Coming on the heels of last week's indoor, auto-themed signs at Powell's, here's another nice one back over in the CEID. I happened to be driving by the Knight Toolworks basement entrance while the roll-up door was open and spied this old "TRUCK ENTRANCE" painted on the overhead beam. Notice the creative "CLERANCE" spelling.

Your timing will have to be right to see this. It's on the corner of SE 3rd and Main.

2009:

Tool Shed

Building, 1949

This unique sign is painted on the roof, rather than the wall. Now home to Ted's Tool Shed, it once advertised, "???IN BOYS' TOOL SHED." It's in the process of being roofed over and will disappear forever one of these days.

See it at SE 88th and Powell while you still can.

2009:

Green Dragon

Followers of this website know that I occasionally throw in a modern building sign, straying far from the site's "ghost sign" origins. I do it here simply because this is a pretty neat sign, covering a large portion of the building. The building in this case is an old quonset hut. Now part of the Green Dragon Bistro & Brewpub, this building's previous incarnation sported its own unique hand-painted QHUT sign (bottom) which still stands.

Stop by SE 9th and Belmont and hoist a brew for your troubles.

2009: