Imperial Laundry (Gone)
Meridian, MS
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

A crown isn't something you expect to see above a neighborhood laundry. That's what made Imperial Laundry such a fun roadside stop in Meridian. Standing along 24th Avenue, the tall neon sign turned an everyday business into something worth pulling over to photograph.

The laundry opened in 1944, and that crown became one of the city's more recognizable commercial signs. Sometimes it's the simplest businesses that end up with the most memorable advertising.

UPDATE: The 24th Avenue location has been repurposed, and the crown-topped sign was removed around 2024. The Imperial Laundry name continues at other Meridian locations. 07-26

Liberty Laundry (Closed)
Louisville, KY
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

There's more to this sign than just bright neon. Take a look at Liberty Laundry in Louisville and you'll spot the little coin image built right into the marquee. It's a small detail, but one that gives the sign a lot of personality and makes it worth slowing down for.

Laundry signs usually don't get much attention, but this one has enough vintage charm to stand out from the crowd. It's another reminder that even an everyday neighborhood business could have a memorable piece of roadside advertising.

UPDATE: The Liberty Laundry business has closed, but the current status of the building and sign is not known. 07-26

Kelly's Cleaners (Gone)
Mobile, AL
Photo and info courtesy Phil Proctor

Most cleaners settle for a simple sign, but this one went a step further. Kelly's Cleaners on Government Boulevard topped its neon marquee with a giant clothes hanger that was hard to miss while cruising US Highway 90. It was one of those signs that could make you smile before you even realized what business it belonged to. 06-06

Kelly's opened in the late 1940s, and this 1968 location gave passing motorists plenty to admire. Between the oversized hanger, the bright neon, and the drive-up canopy alongside the building, it had all the ingredients of a classic roadside business. It wasn't flashy, just a clever design that turned an ordinary dry cleaner into something worth remembering.

UPDATE: Kelly's Cleaners closed at this location in 2021. The building has since been repurposed as Royals Academy, and the hanger-shaped neon sign was removed after the business closed. 07-26

Alamo Cleaners (Gone)
New Orleans, LA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Following Jefferson Highway through the New Orleans area, it wasn't hard to spot Alamo Cleaners. Rising above the building was a tall roadside sign topped with a big arrow pointing motorists toward the driveway. It was a simple idea, but one that gave the place a lot of character and made it stand out from the businesses around it.

There's something about an arrow sign that just feels inviting. Instead of simply announcing the business, it almost seemed to wave you in. Even if you didn't have a bag of clothes in the trunk, the sign was worth slowing down for. It's another reminder that some of the best roadside advertising came from ordinary neighborhood businesses.

Alamo Cleaners served the area for decades, becoming a familiar sight for anyone traveling Jefferson Highway. Like so many vintage cleaners, it quietly did its job while its distinctive sign did the talking out by the road.

UPDATE: Alamo Cleaners has permanently closed, and the familiar arrow-topped roadside sign has been removed. 07-26

1 Hour Cleaners
Decatur, GA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Some roadside signs just know how to grab your attention. 1 Hour Cleaners in Decatur did it with color. The bright marquee stood out from the usual parade of storefronts, making an everyday dry cleaner worth a second look. 06-06

It's the kind of sign you spot out of the corner of your eye and immediately know it's from another era. There wasn't anything elaborate about it, just bold colors, simple lettering, and a design that did exactly what it was supposed to do. Sometimes that's all it takes to make a roadside stop memorable.

Like so many neighborhood cleaners, this was probably just another stop for the locals. For those of us passing through with a camera, though, it was another great reminder that the best roadside finds don't have to be famous.

UPDATE: The current status of the building and colorful roadside sign could not be verified. 07-26

Aladdin Laundry (Gone)
Birmingham, AL
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

No genie ever popped out, but the lamp on top of Aladdin Laundry certainly got your attention. Perched above the roadside sign, it turned an ordinary neighborhood cleaner into one of those places that begged for a second look. 06-06

Aladdin had been serving Birmingham since the late 1940s, and this location in English Village carried on the tradition with one of the area's more memorable signs. It wasn't flashy, just a clever design that gave the business a little personality and made it easy to spot from the road.

Sometimes that's all it takes. A simple idea, a little neon, and a sign you'll remember long after you've driven on to the next stop.

UPDATE: The Cahaba Road location has since been repurposed as another cleaners, and the Aladdin lamp sign has been removed. 07-26

Happy Day Laundry (Gone)
Memphis, TN
Photo courtesy Sherry McGee

Some signs make you do a double take. Happy Day Laundry in Memphis had one of those. Hanging from the circular sign was the figure of a torso, making it look like someone was floating in mid-air above Union Avenue. It was a fun, eye-catching design that was hard to forget once you'd seen it. 09-06

The business opened in 1946 and eventually grew into a small Memphis chain, but it was this unusual sign that really set the Union Avenue location apart. It wasn't every day you found a dry cleaner with such a creative piece of roadside advertising. It's the kind of sign that makes you pull over just to figure out exactly what you're looking at.

UPDATE: A devastating fire destroyed the building in 2016. The sign survived the blaze but was removed during the cleanup the following year. 07-26