Commercial Signage on Old Walls

[imec]

I took these some time ago and have been fussing over what to call this thread. Anyone else interested in those old commercial signs painted right on the brick of old warehouse buildings? Here are couple to get us started...

[Deleted]

Great idea. There are still some of those in Paris, not too far from my place.

[fumobici]

I love much of this old signage. The fonts and compositions are very different to modern advertising. These are quickly disappearing, though I've seen some attempts at restoration with mixed results.

[bixaorellana]

I really miss seeing these old buildings which carry part of the history of a town on their sides.

[bjd]

This is in Harrogate, Yorkshire, England. Not a factory but an old newspaper office.

[bixaorellana]

Interesting building! Do you have any idea what "List of Visitors" would mean?

[bjd]

Bixa -- good question which made me have a look on google where I found this:
www2.whitbytoday.co.uk/WG/.../who%20built%20the%20gazette.pdf

Whitby being a resort near Harrogate I guess the development was similar. Apparently the newspaper started as a "List of Visitors" to the resort in the 19th century, then developed into being a newspaper.

I had vaguely wondered about it before too, but hadn't looked into it. Harrogate, unlike Whitby, is not on the coast, but I believe it was a kind of spa, since there is an old pump room (like in Bath). I think people went there to "take the waters".

[Deleted]

This remnant is on my street.

[lola]

I love old signs like these. There's one up on the corner so faded that I can't quite puzzle it out.

[imec]

Went for a wee drive today around Winnipeg's Exchange District (the name originates from the time when the Grain Exchange was the centre of commerce. None of these are new but some aer not as old as the others - see if you can pick out the newer ones...

[bjd]

Jeez, Imec -- why do you live in Winnipeg? Those pictures remind me of parts of Toronto back in the 1960s/70s before they started tarting up the old factories and turning them into "lofts". The pictures from where you live, on the river, look nice but I sure hope there is more to Winnipeg than these buildings.

[imec]

Actually, the exchange district is hot at the moment with many of these buildings being turned into residential or funky office space. It's also very popular with film-makers as the area helps them recreate turn of the century Chicago. The area is also home to many restaurants and bars.

[Deleted]

Yes, it looks just like the perfect area for a funky renovation -- just hope they don't overdo it and make everything look fake.

[traveler63]

Really nice pix everyone. Believe it or not, Tucson does have some and I know that I have seen them and now I can't remember where. So, I will have to go on a hunt for them.

[Deleted]

Yes, I am wracking my brains as well to try to remember where there are others in Paris -- I knew the one in my street only because I see it every day.

[lola]

Good ones, imec.

[Deleted]

These are wonderful. I can definitely see the allure to this district,so much of it is reminiscent of NOLA in places. I know there's a ton of these down in the Warehouse District and have been eyeballing them for a while. Great thread Imec.

[Kimby]

They call them "ghost signs" here in Montana, and we have some in the 1870's downtown, but as I haven't photographed them myself, I can't post the photos here. Yet.

[bixaorellana]

"Ghost signs"?! That's wonderful -- what a perfect name!

[Deleted]

There's a little piece of signage in this photo from my old Montana report.

[paristraveler]

I'm going to jump into this with a pic I just took hanging out my bedroom window, looking uptown, with my fingers freezing themselves to the camera and the sun so bright I couldn't see my screen:



That's the courthouse of course, with the dome, but as soon as I saw this thread I knew I had an example right at my fingertips. The "Belmont Motor Inn" used to be a few miles from here, but I'm pretty sure it's long gone.

Way cool thread, imec!

[bixaorellana]

Great picture, Paris! I love how the brick on the right-hand side sort of helps enrich and focus on the old brick with the sign. I magnified the picture as much as I could, and the head seems to be a guy in a Roman helmet.

[paristraveler]

Jan 31, 2010 18:21:19 GMT bixaorellana said:

Great picture, Paris! I love how the brick on the right-hand side sort of helps enrich and focus on the old brick with the sign. I magnified the picture as much as I could, and the head seems to be a guy in a Roman helmet.

Thanks, bixa! I just got a new digital camera and I am loving it. And you're right about the guy in the helmet!

[bixaorellana]

Well, be sure to use the wrist strap if you're going to be leaning out more windows! Should you have someone hold your ankles, as well?

[spindrift]

Great thread Imec....I'll start looking round for signage in my old town.

[Deleted]

An old time former New Orleans corner grocery store. Not too many of these left. Typically the family would live upstairs from their grocery business.these would be located in a largely residential area,the precursor to today's convenience store.
Not old brick but in keeping with the theme

[bixaorellana]

You can imagine how much I like those pictures!

Where is that? Definitely well uptown, I'm guessing -- @prytania? That house seems to have an actual empty lot next to it! Sunbeam and Luzianne -- brands of my childhood.

[Deleted]

It is Uptown Bixa but,way over on the lake side of Saint Charles Avenue,on Marengo Street,close to Freret Street. During Katrina,this area took on significant flooding,and the water line from "the waters" is what marred the sign despite clean up efforts.This had escaped me initially when I took the photo.My husband,ever the native,is the one who pointed it out to me.

[gusm]

I love the old commercial signs on brick. I have pictures of them. Honest. I just need to figure out how to post!

[Deleted]

Here are some walls on rue du Louvre where you have to squint really hard to see the very last traces of the paint.