Sam's Liquor
Bellflower, CA
Photo courtesy Sal Garcia

Here’s a good old-fashioned liquor store sign at Sam’s Liquor in Bellflower. Raised above Woodruff Avenue, the marquee puts the name where passing motorists can find it. No need to squeeze the whole sales pitch onto the storefront.

Sam’s belongs to the neighborhood market tradition, with groceries and bottles sharing space under one roof. These independent stores once gave just about every Southern California neighborhood its own collection of neon, arrows, and oversized lettering. Finding one was easy. Remembering to photograph it before somebody changed the sign was another matter.

UPDATE: Sam’s Market is still open. Good to see the neighborhood store continuing to do business. 10-26

Zip Liquor
Anaheim, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

There’s still some zip in this old marquee at Zip Liquor. Check out the two-pronged shape and the distinctive lettering across the top. This one looks like it belongs alongside a tail-finned automobile, preferably with a little chrome catching the sunlight.

The sharp angles recall the late 1950s and early 1960s, when even a neighborhood liquor store could put up a sign that looked ready for the Space Age. The business has registration history going back to 1989, though the marquee looks quite comfortable advertising an earlier era.

The lettering is worth another look. Somehow, the short name manages to stretch out across the display without losing its punch. Add those two upward-reaching prongs and there’s plenty going on above the bottles and grocery shelves. Fancy the days when a quick stop at the corner store came with scenery like this.

UPDATE: Zip Liquor is still open on North Magnolia Avenue in Anaheim. The two-pronged sign reportedly remains, but its exposed neon tubing has been removed. The shape survives, even if the old nighttime glow doesn’t. Hopefully, those distinctive prongs have a few more years of roadside duty ahead. 10-26

Frank's Liquor
Montebello, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Check out the big marquee at Frank’s Liquor on Beverly Boulevard. This neighborhood store certainly didn’t skimp on the sign. Rising well above the storefront, it belongs to the days when a liquor store could contribute as much neon to the boulevard as a nearby restaurant or motel.

Reportedly dating back to 1967, Frank’s has spent nearly six decades serving the neighborhood. And apparently, one visitor may have stayed longer than expected. It’s been whispered that a man killed during an attempted robbery in the 1970s still wanders the beer aisle late at night. Something to think about while reaching for a cold one.

UPDATE: Frank’s Liquors & Market is still open at 5742 East Beverly Boulevard in East Los Angeles, near Montebello. The big sign is still standing too. Good to see this neighborhood landmark hasn’t finished its roadside shift. 10-26

Shopping Bag Liquor
Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo

Three boomerang arrows grace the marquee at Shopping Bag Liquor. Apparently, one just wouldn’t do. Check out the overlapping shapes above the name, giving this liquor store a display that could hold its own among Southern California’s coffee shops and bowling alleys.

The boomerangs recall the late 1950s and early 1960s, when roadside signs seemed ready to take flight. Folded angles, exposed neon, and arrows pointing every which way turned an ordinary shopping stop into something worth pulling over to photograph. Fancy the days when this sort of thing was simply part of the drive.

UPDATE: The business and sign’s later whereabouts remain uncertain. The reported Pasadena location hasn’t been matched to this particular three-boomerang marquee, so there’s still a little detective work before calling this one demolished. 10-26