Club Supreme
Merced, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Looking for a place to go dancing? Check out the neon sign for Club Supreme in Merced, CA. The lettering catches the eye before there's even a chance to find out what's happening inside. For those making the evening roadside rounds, a sign like this is enough reason to pause with the camera. No dancing shoes needed for that part of the visit. Just a spot to stop and a little time to catch the glow. 02-06

The original notes pointed travelers toward Club Supreme for dancing, but the neon was an attraction of its own. One of those signs that could turn a drive through town into an unexpected photo stop. Catch a few shots out front, then decide whether the evening calls for a turn on the dance floor or another round of looking for neon. Either way, the sign gets the visit started.

UPDATE: The club's current status and the fate of its neon sign have not been confirmed. The available history also leaves its opening and closure dates uncertain. Whether the familiar lettering still survives awaits confirmation. 09-26

Coyote Stage Stop (Closed)
Salinas, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

This old, somewhat faded sign sits outside the Coyote Stage Stop, with a running coyote perched above the lettering. Check out this roadside fellow while taking a look along Monterey Road. The weathered panels give the camera something to catch before continuing down the highway. Apparently this coyote found a good place to stop running. 02-06

The lounge was located in Coyote, between South San Jose and Morgan Hill, rather than Salinas as the original entry noted. Along this stretch of the old Monterey Highway, the Stage Stop offered a place to pull in for music, barbecue, and a break from the road. It also promoted itself as the “19th Hole,” welcoming golfers ready to trade the course for a seat at the bar.

UPDATE: The Coyote Stage Stop has closed. 09-26

The Mint
Bakersfield, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out this nighttime shot of The Mint in Bakersfield. The vertical neon lettering and “Cocktails” panel give the camera a couple of things to catch along 19th Street. A good stop while making the evening rounds through downtown, with plenty of glow packed into this tavern sign. 06-05

The Mint dates to 1895, putting its saloon roots well before the neon era. It was also among the first businesses in Bakersfield to have a telephone, with callers reaching it through the exchange “BLACK 153.” Quite a different way to call ahead.

During Prohibition, the place operated as The Mint Buffet, and a new wooden bar was installed when legal drinking returned in 1933. The building once had a second story, too, but damage from the 1952 Kern County earthquake led to its removal. That's a fair amount of history behind a night shot of a sign.

UPDATE: The Mint remains open on 19th Street, and its familiar neon sign survives. More than 130 years after its beginnings, the old saloon is still a downtown gathering spot with pool, a jukebox, and a patio. 09-26

Cotton Club (Closed)
Chowchilla, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

Here's the Cotton Club in Chowchilla, CA. The movie of the same name wasn't based here, but this local watering hole had a roadside presence of its own. Check out the old marquee while taking a look around town. The place didn't appear to be in business when this photo was taken, though the sign still gave the camera a reason to pause.

The Cotton Club served locals in this Central Valley farming community for decades. Its name turns up in accounts of Chowchilla from the 1970s, and employment records place bartenders here into the 1980s. A little hometown bar history behind the familiar name.

UPDATE: The Cotton Club has closed. 09-26

La Fiesta
Fresno, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Here's the marquee for La Fiesta in Fresno. Check out the dancing lady and her tiered dress, giving this old nightclub sign a little movement even when the neon wasn't glowing. Quite a character to spot overhead while making the photo rounds through Chinatown. No music needed to see what she was up to. 02-06

La Fiesta opened in the 1940s and became a longtime spot for Latin music, dancing, and a night out along F Street. The lady on the marquee helped set the mood before visitors reached the door. For roadside sign hunters, she was enough reason to stop for a closer look.

UPDATE: La Fiesta has closed, and its dancing lady marquee was removed and donated to the Fresno County Historical Museum. The sign was saved, giving this familiar piece of Fresno nightlife another home. 09-26

Staley's Club
Turlock, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

Check out this old sign for Staley's Club in Turlock, CA. That orange really stands out while making the rounds through town. Hanging over the sidewalk on East Main Street, the sign gives the camera a good reason to pause. A little downtown cruising turns up another keeper. 02-06

Inside are pool tables, a jukebox, and the familiar low lighting of a neighborhood bar. But for those out hunting old signs, there's plenty to catch before getting through the door. Take a look at the lettering against that orange background. This one doesn't need much help getting noticed.

UPDATE: Staley's familiar orange sign survives and the business is still open. 09-26