Progress made on restoring neon lights at historic Las Vegas hotels
From Fox5vegas.com: LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A row of neon lights at Downtown Las Vegas hotels have been carefully restored to shine brightly along Fremont Street, three years after the project was launched to revitalize historic signs.
The Lucky Motel, Traveler’s Motel, the Starview Motel, Fremont Motel, the Las Vegas Motel and the Gables Motel are six properties that have been completed.
You Could Be The Next Owner Of This 100 Year Old Maine Theater
Worth Real Estate
From B98.5: Belfast really is the quintessential coastal Maine town. Narrow winding streets, unique locally owned shops, an active ship building industry, and local characters. The town is like something out of a movie.
And, even though the town is filled with unique homes and commercial buildings, there is one particular building that really sticks out – The Colonial Theater.
Recently, it was announced that the theater would be closing in September.
The great American road trip lives on as Stuckey’s and its pecan rolls make a comeback
Stuckey’s, portrayed in this vintage advertisement, was a popular stop on road trips during the 1950s to 1970s before it fell into decline under corporate ownership.
From The Oklahoman: SEMINOLE — More than halfway through a cross-country road trip, Joe Cavaretta saw a billboard for a remnant of Americana he thought he would never see again. A few minutes later, Cavaretta and his wife, Karen, stopped to see if the new Stuckey’s at the Seminole exit on Interstate 40 matched up with his memories as a kid.
Restored Motels Have Proven Their Resilience
From the Michelin Guide: Near the end of the last century, a trend emerged. Forgotten old motels and motor lodges were being transformed into well-run, hip little hotels. At first it was a bit surprising to see the rebirth of these run-down structures happening alongside the high-design, big-city glamour of the boutique hotel boom. Their utility quickly became clear.
Sleek and slick isn’t for everyone. It can be even less appropriate when you’re on the road. 20+ years on, restored motels have proven to be for more than just passing through. The modern motel is now a destination in its own right — an appealing target at which to aim your front bumper.
With environmental sensitivity more important than ever, repurposing a roadside inn is a great way to reuse existing materials — especially when they come pre-loaded with a visual character this clearly defined. In an age where authenticity trumps excess, little reimagining is required to bring motels back to relevance in the current century. In fact, the format itself is back in full fashion: brand new, purpose-built motels and motor courts are starting to become a serious thing.
Will neon signs shine again in the Tenderloin?
The moon in the neon sign of the Nite Cap Bar. San Francisco Neon
From the San Francisco Examiner: Life in the Tenderloin could soon get a little bit brighter.
A zoning change unanimously approved by the Planning Commission on Thursday would essentially re-legalize neon signs in the heart of the neighborhood. The legislation would make it easier to restore the nearly 100 historic neon signs in the neighborhood and allow SROs and ground floor businesses to install new ones.
“We’ve had so many businesses be negatively impacted by the pandemic,” said Katie Conry, executive director of the Tenderloin Museum. “Encouraging new, vibrant, artistically interesting, historically relevant advertising seems like just what the neighborhood needs right now.” The legislation will need to be approved by the Board of Supervisors in the coming weeks.
‘Back to the Drive-In’ Documentary Explores Ups and Downs of Ma-and-Pa Theaters Keeping Outdoor Filmgoing Alive
Brazos Drive-In in Texas Courtesy April Wright
From Variety: “Back to the Drive-In” is filmmaker April Wright’s second documentary about drive-ins, following 2013’s “Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the American Drive-In Movie,” but she’s not milking a good thing with a rehash of the definitive first film. Rather than again explore the overall rise and fall and semi-rise of the phenomenon, in this terrific sequel, she’s looking at the big picture (drive-in screens are huge, in case you haven’t been) but also the smaller one, painting a series of portraits of 11 different ozoners across the U.S. It’s a warm and funny and even touching tribute to the fans and especially the ma-and-pa owner-operators who keep al fresco film alive.
Locations range from the Mission Tiki, a popularly rediscovered pandemic in the Los Angeles area, to the sometimes fog-enshrouded Wellfleet, which bills itself as the premiere family entertainment destination on Cape Cod. In-between are locations as distinct as Bengies, a ‘60s-era legend in its own right with a mammoth, Googie-ish marquee in the Baltimore area, to the Field of Dreams Drive-In, a full-service theater that a guy built literally in his very, very roomy back yard in rural Ohio.