Silvers 5 & 10 (Gone)
Savannah, GA
Photo courtesy Paul Bauke

Even after all the changes along Broughton Street, one thing still caught your eye when this photo was taken. The old Silver's 5 & 10 sign remained attached to the building, giving shoppers a reminder of the days when downtown department and variety stores filled these busy sidewalks.

Silver's was one of Savannah's best-known five-and-dime stores, welcoming generations of customers looking for everything from toys and housewares to school supplies and everyday bargains. The business occupied the historic Weed Building, one of the grand commercial buildings that helped make downtown Savannah such a memorable place to shop. Long after the store itself had closed, the familiar red-and-gold sign continued to advertise a business that had become part of the city's history.

UPDATE: The original storefront sign was removed in 2014 during another renovation of the building. The storefront is now occupied by a Chase Bank branch, but the painted ghost sign for Silver's can still be spotted on an upper exterior wall. 08-26

Main Street Barber Shop (Gone)
Little Rock, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

You don't see many signs bragging about air conditioning anymore, but there was a time when it was a pretty good way to get customers through the door. The Main Street Barber Shop in Little Rock proudly advertised its cool interior with a vintage hanging sign that was almost as inviting as the promise of a fresh haircut.

Back in the years before air conditioning became an everyday convenience, businesses across the South proudly let everyone know they offered a cool place to escape the summer heat. Barbershops, diners, and drug stores often made it part of their advertising, and this one was no exception. The simple storefront and classic sign fit right in along Main Street, giving the neighborhood one more bit of roadside character.

By the time this photo was taken, the shop still looked like the kind of place where regulars gathered for a haircut and a little conversation before heading on with the day. It's the sort of neighborhood business that was never flashy, but the old sign made it worth a second look.

UPDATE: The barber shop building has since been demolished, and the vintage "Air Conditioned" sign is gone. 08-26

Radio Shack (Gone)
Little Rock, AR
Photo courtesy Stewart Isbell

Tucked into the middle of an aging strip center, this old RadioShack looked like thousands of others that once dotted shopping plazas across America.

For years, RadioShack was the place to stop for batteries, electronic parts, scanners, CB radios, telephones, and just about any odd adapter you suddenly needed. The stores weren't very big, but they always seemed to have a little of everything. Whether you were fixing a television, building a hobby project, or buying your first home computer, chances are a trip to RadioShack was part of the experience.

This neighborhood storefront was a familiar sight during the chain's heyday, when nearly every shopping center seemed to have one. It's the kind of place many people probably walked right past without realizing how much time they would eventually spend there.

UPDATE: RadioShack's Little Rock stores have all closed, and the familiar storefront signs have disappeared as new businesses have moved into the shopping centers. 08-26

The Murphy Elevator Co.
Louisville, KY
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Old painted signs always make a downtown a little more interesting. The faded lettering for The Murphy Elevator Company still stretches across this brick building in Louisville, giving passersby a glimpse into the city's industrial past.

Murphy Elevator has operated here since 1932, making it one of those businesses that never needed a flashy sign to get noticed. The painted brick and lettering above the freight doors have become part of the building's character, and they're well worth a look if you're exploring downtown on foot.

UPDATE: The Murphy Elevator Company is still in business at this location, and the historic painted signs remain intact. 08-26

National Store
Pulaski, TN
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The first thing that catches your eye isn't the storefront, it's the big NATIONAL letters stretching across the brick facade. They still look right at home above the building in downtown Pulaski, and from the looks of them, they once glowed with neon. 06-06

For years this was home to The National Store, one of the downtown shops where locals could pick up clothing, shoes, and other everyday necessities. Although the store is gone, the old lettering has remained in place, giving the building a little extra personality and hinting at what once occupied the space.

UPDATE: Today the building is part of Reeves Drug Store, the longtime hometown pharmacy that's been serving Pulaski since 1892. It's nice to see the old National sign still hanging around, adding another layer of history to one of the square's most recognizable storefronts. 08-26

Philco
Albany, GA
Photo courtesy Lisa Pike

You don't have to be shopping for an old television or refrigerator to appreciate this one. The glowing blue script of the Philco sign still projects from an empty building on North Jackson Street, making it one of those roadside survivors that's hard to miss. Even without the neon lit, it still has plenty of character. 09-06

Back in the postwar years, Philco was one of the biggest names in home electronics and appliances, and local dealers like this introduced customers to everything from radios and televisions to refrigerators and freezers. The store is long gone, but the porcelain sign has managed to outlast the business that once hung beneath it.

UPDATE: It's easy to imagine this sign glowing over downtown Albany on a warm Georgia evening, inviting shoppers inside to see the latest household gadgets. Today the building sits vacant, but the old Philco sign still gives passersby a reason to slow down and take another look. 08-26

Ritchie's Furniture & Appliance
Elizabethton, TN
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

The name on the sign might make a few music fans smile, but Ritchie's Furniture & Appliance has nothing to do with Buddy Holly. This longtime downtown store has been a familiar sight along Elk Avenue in Elizabethton for generations, with its vintage storefront still advertising furniture and appliances the old-fashioned way. 01-08

The business has been serving the community since 1936, beginning as an appliance dealer before growing into a full furniture store. Still family owned today, it's one of those independent hometown businesses that has managed to outlast many of the national chains that came and went over the years.

UPDATE: Driving through downtown, stores like this help give Elk Avenue its character. The classic storefront and familiar sign look right at home among the older buildings, reminding visitors that not every downtown business has disappeared. 08-26

Helm's Candy Co.
Bristol, VA
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

The sweet smell probably gives this place away before the sign does. Helms Candy Company has been making candy in Bristol for well over a century, and it's one of those businesses that's become just as much a local landmark as the treats it produces. 11-10

Founded in 1909, Helms has stayed in family hands while continuing to make old-fashioned candy the traditional way. Peppermint sticks, lollipops, peanut butter bars, and horehound candy are just a few of the products that have rolled out of the factory over the years. It's nice to know that some places still make things much the same way they always have.

Unlike many longtime manufacturers that disappeared or moved away, Helms continues to produce its candy right here in Bristol. If you're passing through town, it's another reminder that some classic American businesses are still going strong. 08-26

UPDATE: More than a century after opening in 1909, Helms Candy Company is still manufacturing its old-fashioned candies in Bristol and remains family owned. 08-26