Glory Days . . . and How to Get Involved

You can support the museum in many ways. There’s the obvious: Become a member and/or donate a sign or sign-related item to the museum. These are the “no brainers.” You can join for as little as $35 per year. And it’s tax deductible.

You can also purchase a paver or create your own panel and support the museum’s new building. Fly your own flag as a proud supporter of the museum that chronicles the history of your business. And yes, it’s also tax deductible.

Others have really stepped up to the proverbial plate and “adopted” a sign. Yes, you can actually sponsor the restoration of one of the museum’s vintage signs and return it to its former glory. Many sign companies have already done so.

Burton Electric Signs, now Burton Signworks Inc., of Mt. Airy, NC, adopted a 16-ft., double-faced motel sign from the former El Rancho in DeSoto, KS, and totally restored the sign, including re-painting and all new neon, wiring and transformers. Harmon Sign/Planet Neon (Toledo, OH) similarly restored a 15-ft. hammer which originally identified Gross Hardware in Columbus, IN. Both have been featured in past Sign Museum News columns.

Our most recent supporter is Andy Puopolo, owner of East Coast Sign Co. Inc. of Stoneham, MA, near Boston. Puopolo read a recent column about the museum and wondered how he could help, saying it’d be great if he could restore a sign for us. So be it. We gave him options, and he settled on our Chris & Pitts BBQ sign, which was originally located in Greater Los Angeles and, more specifically, a few blocks from the Petersen Automotive Museum (as in Hot Rod magazine).

The sign sat outside our Essex Studios site and unfortunately was “tagged” by the local kids. Consequently, Chris & Pitts is slated for a complete re-paint. But this is a “tag team” affair, because John Brandmeier, director of business and operations of Matthews Paint Co. in Delaware, OH, has volunteered to supply the paint. That’s the spirit, John! The sign will also need some neon repair and electrical work.

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We generally re-paint signs only when it’s absolutely necessary. And when we do, we will generally place these outdoors. The majority of our signs involves significantly less restoration. Many just need neon repair and some transformers. There’s a needy sign for every budget.
Just go to the museum’s Adopt-a-Sign webpage. Signs are pictured with their needs outlined.