Columbia I. & S.

This old factory building carries a sign from a long-gone company. "Columbia Iron & Steel" maybe? "Insulation Sales/Contracting" is visible farther down the wall. It's on the east side of the building at N. Interstate and Tillamook.

2008:

Brooks Showcase & Fixture Co.

On the same building as my previous post, "BROOKS SHOWCASE & FIXTURE CO." still shows quite well across the top of the south wall. Also visible are traces of other long-forgotten signs, including a repeat of the unknown from my previous post. Removing a bit of foliage would help our hunt.

Over the northwest-facing entrance is,
SHOWCASE
and
FIXTURE CO.
STORE BANK
OFFICE
and
RESTAURANT
FIXTURES"
See it at N. Interstate and Knott.

2008:

Credit Gladly

This great "CREDIT GLADLY" sign is part of a larger advertisement that is all but completely covered by a modern billboard. Sad. The ad beneath looks to be in fine condition so we can always hold out hope that the building owner respects the sign and one day we'll see it again. Incidentally, the hidden sign is at least partially duplicated on the south side of this building; foliage covers most of it and makes it unreadable too.

This 1890 building is at N. Interstate and Knott, one block north of N. Russell Street.

2008:

Alt Heidelberg Lager Beer

Smithson-McKay Brothers Block, 1890

A fine old beer advertisement. Apparently in the early 1930s Heidelberg dropped the female figure of Columbia from its advertising in favor of the "Student Prince" image, with beer stein, shown here. They dropped the "Alt" from their name in 1953 so this sign probably originated between the early 30s and 1953.

This sign can be difficult to see, tucked behind its neighboring building on a busy street with few sidewalks. But slow down and look to your left as you approach N. Russell Street heading south on N. Interstate. Stop in at the Widmer Brothers Gasthaus Pub or check out their state-of-the-art craft brewery in this historic neighborhood.

2008:

White Eagle

White Eagle Cafe & Saloon, 1905

Hard to say how long these signs have been here. The left-hand "White Eagle" and Coca-Cola sign have been in place for many decades. The green "Saloon & Hotel" probably dates to when the McMenamins chain took over the place a quarter century ago.

2009:

Sam Moy & Co.

Davis Block Building, 1890

A classic sign with a unique yellow background:
SAM MOY & CO.
MEN & WOMENS' FURNISHINGS.
Special Weave Cloth
HEADLIGHT
Overalls
This is on the side of the Davis Block Building at N. Russell and N. Albina. Stop in and get some natty Headlight Overalls.

2008:

(International Association of Machinists, 1916)

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:

Columbia Wool Scouring Mills

Pendleton Woolen Mills bought Columbia Wool Scouring Mills in 1971. If this building is still in use, they receive raw wool fiber in fleece form here where it's graded, sorted and scoured, which is a washing process. So sometime between the sheep and your comfy blanket, the fleece/wool probably goes through this building.

The sign is quite easy to see at 2030 N. Columbia Blvd. You can also see it from the MAX train or crossing N. Denver.

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:

Repairing - Andy's Auto Service

Andy's Auto Service, 1945

This is another exception to the "painted building sign" model of this blog, since this is a hanging sign, and neon at one time to boot. But it generally follows my previous post in the garage genre so I'm including it here. This sign of unknown vintage and appropriately rusted Quonset hut (probably WWII surplus since it dates to 1945) sits on NE Hancock between MLK and NE 3rd.

2009:

A.A. Auto Repair Co.

Tom Black's Garage, 1912

This old garage has had several layers of signage over the years. Its most recent, or at least most visible, on the west wall, is:
A.A.AUTO REPAIR CO.
CHEVROLET SPECIALTY
GARAGE STORAGE
The east wall (lower photo) seems to read:
A.A.AUTO REPAIR CO.
GENERAL AUTOMOBILE PARTS
GARAGE...
Tom Black's Garage now occupies the building on NE Holladay St. between 25th and 25, overlooking I-84.

2008:

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:

Drink Coca-Cola

McPeet's Portland Pub, 1928

Originally painted circa 1940, this nice Coca-Cola sign was restored in 1997. See it on the east side of McPeet's Portland Pub at NE 45th and Fremont.

2009:

Forge Dept.

A nice old rusty industrial hand-painted sign tucked back from the road.
"FORGE DEPT.
??? & UPSET FORGINGS"
NW Nicolai between NW28th and 29th.

2009:

Steel Company

Pacific Machinery & Tool Steel Co, 1930

This nicely rusted and weathered "STEEL COMPANY - IRON & STEEL PRODUCTS" is on NW St. Helens Rd, just west of NW 35th Ave.

2009:

Tube Forgings

Tube Forgings of America

From the corner of NW Front Avenue and NW Kittridge Avenue, you can see this unique painted sign. Nicely weathered, it towers over the Tube Forgings of America plant, this one on the south side and another facing north.

2009:

Reserved - First Baptist Church

This is an easy one to miss. Nestled under a billboard, often hidden by parked cars, this old "RESERVED" sign can be found on SW 12th between Salmon and Taylor.

2009: