Sherman Clay & Co. (Gone)
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The old blade sign for Sherman, Clay & Co. once hung over a San Francisco sidewalk, giving passing shoppers a reason to look up. A piano or some sheet music might have been on the shopping list. Even for those just walking by, the sign was a familiar part of the downtown scenery.

Sherman Clay was a longtime name in the music business, selling pianos, organs, and other instruments for generations. After its earlier San Francisco premises were destroyed in the 1906 earthquake, the company built a new headquarters at Kearny and Sutter streets. From there, the business grew into a chain with stores well beyond the city.

The company closed its last stores in 2013. By then, the days of stopping downtown to browse the piano showroom were already fading. The blade sign shown in this photo has since come down, too, leaving one less old storefront sign to spot on a walk through San Francisco.

UPDATE: The Sherman Clay blade sign is no longer on the building. This photo catches it back when the name still hung over the sidewalk. 09-26

D.R. Woodard Cleaner
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

At the corner of 22nd and J Streets in Sacramento, the sign for D.R. Woodard Cleaner & Dyer wraps around the building in Streamline style. “Cleaner” runs down the rounded corner, with “D.R. Woodard” and “Dyer” stretching along the sides. How often does a sign advertise a dyer anymore?

Woodard had the building constructed in 1936. The business later became Woodard-Ficetti Cleaners and stayed in the neighborhood for decades.

UPDATE: The cleaners has closed, but its old sign remains on the building. Whether the neon still lights up is unclear. 09-26

Martin's Gymnasium Equipment Co. (Demolished)
Emeryville, CA
Photo courtesy Devil Doll

The Martin’s Gymnasium Equipment Co. building had a front worth slowing down for. Its rounded Streamline lines gave an industrial business a little flair along the Emeryville and Oakland border. Gym equipment might have been the reason to go inside, but the building was reason enough to stop for a photo.

Martin’s made equipment for athletic spaces, and the company name fit neatly across that distinctive facade. It was one of those roadside buildings that made an ordinary drive through the industrial district more interesting.

UPDATE: The building has since been demolished. The date it came down is unclear, but this photo preserves its memorable front. 09-26

TV Sign
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The old TV Sign recalls a time when a broken television meant a trip to the neighborhood repair shop. Someone might take off the back, find the trouble, and get the picture working again. A sign like this let everyone know where to bring a set that had gone fuzzy. 04-06

There is no business name or location recorded with this photo, so the sign’s story remains a bit of a mystery. Its current whereabouts are unknown, too. Still, it brings back the days when fixing the TV was an ordinary errand, rather than an excuse to shop for a new one.

UPDATE: The location and fate of the sign remain unknown. It could have been on Auburn. 09-26

Food Fair (Closed)
Vacaville, CA
Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn

The big arched roof at Food Fair made a grocery run in Vacaville look a little more interesting. It gives the old store the look of an airplane hangar, a throwback to when neighborhood markets had some personality of their own. 09-08

Food Fair opened in 1962 and served local shoppers for nearly 60 years. A second building was planned beside it, but never built.

UPDATE: Food Fair closed in 2021. The building survives as Maya Supermarket, with that distinctive roof still overhead. 09-26