Vintage neon signs

[LizzieMaine]

You can't get much more neon onto one building than this. The International Casino, seen here in 1937, was the last word in multi-purpose entertainment, combining elements of a ballroom, a supper club, and a burlesque theatre into one structure, which spanned the entire block between West 44th and West 45th Street on Broadway. And if you didn't like the Casino, you could always go downstairs and take in a movie.

The "Wrigley Spectacular" on the roof was one of the definitive Times Square displays of its time -- it combined neon with colored incandescent bulbs to create a semi-animated aquarium effect, although what being underwater has to do with gum is left to the imagination. Alternating flashing slogans got the point across -- the messages at the top left were "KEEPS THE TASTE IN TUNE" alternating with "AIDS THE DIGESTION," and at lower right "STEADIES THE NERVES" alternates with "THE FLAVOR LASTS." Maybe so, but they still had to scrape it off the carpet at the Criterion with a damn putty knife.

The Casino featured a pretty broad range of musical entertainment, and unlike many of the nightclubs along Broadway it didn't have a segregated booking policy: Harlem bands like Chick Webb's appeared, as did more sedate outfits like "George Olsen and his Music of Tomorrow." But it was too grandiose to last for very long, and when the Bond Clothing store took over the 45th Street side of the building in 1940, its days were numbered. Decades later a disco operated in the space before giving way to "the world's largest Toys R Us store," speaking of too grandiose to last.

 

[Fading Fast]

View attachment 134631
You can't get much more neon onto one building than this. The International Casino, seen here in 1937, was the last word in multi-purpose entertainment, combining elements of a ballroom, a supper club, and a burlesque theatre into one structure, which spanned the entire block between West 44th and West 45th Street on Broadway. And if you didn't like the Casino, you could always go downstairs and take in a movie.

The "Wrigley Spectacular" on the roof was one of the definitive Times Square displays of its time -- it combined neon with colored incandescent bulbs to create a semi-animated aquarium effect, although what being underwater has to do with gum is left to the imagination. Alternating flashing slogans got the point across -- the messages at the top left were "KEEPS THE TASTE IN TUNE" alternating with "AIDS THE DIGESTION," and at lower right "STEADIES THE NERVES" alternates with "THE FLAVOR LASTS." Maybe so, but they still had to scrape it off the carpet at the Criterion with a damn putty knife.

The Casino featured a pretty broad range of musical entertainment, and unlike many of the nightclubs along Broadway it didn't have a segregated booking policy: Harlem bands like Chick Webb's appeared, as did more sedate outfits like "George Olsen and his Music of Tomorrow." But it was too grandiose to last for very long, and when the Bond Clothing store took over the 45th Street side of the building in 1940, its days were numbered. Decades later a disco operated in the space before giving way to "the world's largest Toys R Us store," speaking of too grandiose to last.

I would think fish would like to have better digestion and long lasting flavor - I sense some fishism in your post.

I know you know that the Bond Store sign was iconic too - I am assuming this is the one you are referencing as you see it in many, many, many Times Square pics.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Yep. The Wrigley sign, after going thru a couple of modifications, came down by 1940, and was replaced by the Bond sign -- which later gave way to a gigantic Pepsi display.

That Bond store was gigantic -- the Casino space was huge, and the store occupied most of it. How many suits with two pairs of pants can a man own? And I bet Zablo, Stylist For Men didn't appreciate the competition, but I admire him for keeping his lease.

 

[Fading Fast]

Yep. The Wrigley sign, after going thru a couple of modifications, came down by 1940, and was replaced by the Bond sign -- which later gave way to a gigantic Pepsi display.

That Bond store was gigantic -- the Casino space was huge, and the store occupied most of it. How many suits with two pairs of pants can a man own? And I bet Zablo, Stylist For Men didn't appreciate the competition, but I admire him for keeping his lease.

While not 100%, I'd bet well-over 90% of men owned a suit and many owned several back then (made up numbers, just my guess). When I started working in the late '70s, from supermarkets to department stores to Wall Street, everybody who didn't need a specific work uniform or who wasn't doing very physical labor, pretty much wore a suit and tie or dress slacks, sport coat and tie.

My manger on the loading dock did, as did almost all the guys who worked in the mailroom. I know you've told us that, up near you, it was not common at all, but in the NY metro region, even into the '80s, suits and ties were a dominant wardrobe item. Hence, dial it back to the '40s, when there was a strong cultural bias toward dress clothes (movies of the time show men in suits on the beach, at picnics, at sporting events and even at fast food restaurants) and the answer to your question was a good number (and, for a large percentage of the population).

That's probably why Bond could take up so much space selling suits to the general public (and that location provided quite a flow of the general public Bond).

 

[Fading Fast]

⇧ Love the twisted falling neon.....................................................⇧Not usually my thing, too kitschy, but I like the elephant

 

[LizzieMaine]

The DuPont pavillion, 1939 NYWF. Better Living Through Neon.

 

[Fading Fast]

 

[2jakes]

 

[Fading Fast]

⇧ Re The Coffee Shop:

A young Fading Fast, only a few years out of college, went there when it had just opened - God I'm old.

From the NY Post:

Famed Coffee Shop in Union Square to Close After 28 Years
By Lisa Fickenscher
July 12, 2018


A Big Apple foodie icon is biting the dust.

The Coffee Shop in Union Square — a beloved staple made famous for its turns on HBO’s “Sex and the City” — is closing on Oct. 11 after a 28-year run in which its fawning fans included A-listers like Julianne Moore, Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci.

Co-owner and President Charles Milite is breaking the sad news to the 150 employees of the 29 Union Square West eatery on Thursday.

“The times have changed in our industry,” he told The Post. “The rents are very high and now the minimum wage is going up and we have a huge number of employees.”

Known for hiring aspiring models — Milite himself was a model in the 1970s and 1980s — The Coffee Shop was a destination, in part, for its attractive employees.

“We started with Live Bait, hiring all of our friends to work there and we kept that trend up,” Milite said.

He owns The Coffee Shop with two partners.

The eatery’s landmarked building is a throwback to the 1980s as is its old-style diner decor, which has not been updated in years.

It’s Brazilian-American fare is popular with tourists and late-night revelers, but it has never been known for its top-notch service or culinary feats.

Recent reviews on Yelp were mixed.

“The Coffee House [sic] is an average and forgettable brunch place near Union Square. If you’re desperate for diner food late at night, it’s not a terrible option, but it’s definitely not a spot you rave about the food quality or plan on coming to,” according to one reviewer, while another wrote, “… the service we had dampened our experience. Our server was really unkind and cold, and never checked in on us (we had to ask passing staff constantly to fill our water and take our order).”

Nevertheless, when the eatery was temporarily closed by the Health Department for sanitary violations in 2007, diners were shocked and couldn’t wait to support the place when it reopened a few days later. A pregnant Naomi Watts was among the first customers to show up when it reopened.

A second Milite restaurant, Flats Fix, situated next to The Coffee Shop, will remain open.

“What looks like a bustling, busy restaurant has tremendous overhead,” Milite said of The Coffee Shop. “The business is good.”

 

[2jakes]

This gal was hungry
eating a hamburger, club sandwich and a milk shake with whipped cream and cherry on top!

 

[2jakes]

When cars came available in a rainbow of colors!

 

[Fading Fast]

And this one took the "space-race" theme one step further than most:

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Looks like a formidable parking lot hazard, lol.

Rob

 

[LizzieMaine]

Good example of the roadside "chicken dinner restaurant" fad of the thirties. Frankenmuth, Michigan.

 

[Ghostsoldier]

Noir.

Rob

 

[LizzieMaine]

Esso deployed thousands of those rooftop neon signs. I remember being utterly hypnotized by one while eating at a Lum's restaurant in Saugus, Massachusetts in 1970. E-S-S-O across the street, blinking into the night ad infinitum.

 

[3fingers]

Mr. Kyser keeps a tidy place. I like the trike in the wash bay.

 

[Fading Fast]

 

[BobHufford]

Saw this place in the background of a "Better Call Saul" episode.

 

[Fading Fast]