Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop in Springfield prepares to celebrate 100 years
PHOTO: SAGA COMMUNICATIONS
From Capitol City Now: Springfield, IL – The beloved Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop is gearing up for a big celebration as it prepares to commemorate its 100th anniversary. The iconic eatery at 118 N. Pasfield St. has been a treasured part of the community, serving up its famous loose meat sandwiches for generations. The restaurant also bills itself as the first drive-thru in the nation.
Current owner Sam Quaisi, who has helmed the shop for the past 28 years, is excited to celebrate this historic milestone and recently shared one of many memorable moments that illustrates the restaurant’s special place in the lives of many in Springfield. He said a van pulled up outside the restaurant and out popped three generations of a family. They had made the trip to the sandwich shop on the grandparents’ 50th anniversary to see the spot where the couple met for the very first time.
Hong Kong’s neon signs find new homes inside shops as rules take buzz out of outdoor displays
Jive Lau his neon studio, KowloNeon, in Wong Chuk Hang. His clients are increasingly ordering the signs for indoors, he says. Photo: Daniel Suen
From the South China Morning Post: At his studio in Hong Kong’s Wong Chuk Hang area, Jive Lau Ho-fai spends hours over 1,200 degree-Celsius (2,192 Fahrenheit) burners as he meticulously bends glass tubes for neon signs.
KowloNeon is decorated with his neon creations, including a 200cm (79 inches) face-off between a dragon and a phoenix.
At 41, Lau is relatively young compared with the few remaining neon masters in the city. He began learning the craft five years ago after witnessing the disappearance of traditional neon signs and learning about their cultural significance.
‘ONCE IT’S GONE, IT’S GONE’: COMMUNITY MEMBERS LOOK TO PRESERVE ROUTE 66’S HISTORIC RIBBON ROAD
From newson6.com: Along the Mother Road, several attractions bring in people from all around the world, but one portion in Green Country, OK, stands out.
“It’s hard to put into words what the Ribbon Road means,” said Beth Hilburn.
Hi-Way cafe owner Beth Hilburn said the single 9-foot-wide lane of highway is the original pavement of historic Route 66.
“Once it’s gone, it’s gone, and we can’t get that back. The road was built, they started building it in 1919 so it’s well over 100 years old, and I just feel like it’s just very important to try to save as much of it as we can,” Hilburn said.
Las Vegas Neon Museum Plans Major Expansion and Relocation
From Casino News Press: The Neon Museum in Las Vegas, renowned for its collection of iconic neon signs, has announced plans to expand and relocate to the Arts District in downtown Las Vegas. This move aims to nearly triple the size of its current location, providing more space for exhibitions and educational programs. The museum, which has been a staple of Las Vegas culture since 1996, will conduct due diligence on two potential sites, with the goal of enhancing its offerings and preserving the city’s vibrant history.
The Neon Museum’s relocation to the Arts District marks a significant milestone in its history. The new location will feature a 60,000-square-foot outdoor display space and 47,000 square feet of indoor area on the ninth and tenth floors of a proposed parking garage. Additionally, a second site nearby will offer 35,000 square feet of programmable space. This expansion will allow the museum to showcase more of its extensive collection and host larger events and exhibitions.
Monsoon claims popular signs from Tucson’s past
From KOLD: TUCSON, Ariz. – The clean-up continues across Tucson after Sunday’s storm.
The high winds not only uprooted trees across the city; sign damage could remain visible for weeks.
And some of these signs are considered a part of Tucson’s history.
Signs like the large ones outside shopping malls could take weeks to repair. The older, more detailed signs in midtown Tucson will require more time and money to replace.
Big Ben is back: Quebec poutine spot celebrates repair of 9-metre neon sign
Chez Ben on s’bour la bedaine pictured in 2017. In front of the canteen in Granby, Que., is what locals describe as an emblem, a nine-metre tall sign that recently underwent repairs. (Charles Beaudoin/Radio-Canada)
From the CBC: On Monday evening just after sunset, the parking lot of a family-run canteen brimmed with locals hoping to catch a glimpse of a nine-metre neon man lighting up the skyline of Granby, Que.
Chez Ben on s’bour la bédaine, the local shop whose name roughly translates to “we stuff our bellies at Ben’s,” has become synonymous with the retro sign of a man eating a hotdog.
Fitted with a hat, tray of food and neon red apron stretched over its well-rounded midsection, the sign was installed in 1974 to help direct people to the establishment in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.