![]() If I had taken my late-night drive in the middle of the 20th century, I would have seen more neon -“an awful lot of neon,” says Garfield. “So the development of neon as a feature of the Seattle skyline really with Seattle’s own self-consciousness as an important place.” “I think neon was a visual way of signifying that this was a place of sophistication, this was a 24-hour place, this was a place that had bright lights and big stores and exciting activity,” says Garfield. ![]() Given the importance of these neon landmarks to the city, it’s worth asking: What’s lost when signs like the “R” and “City Light” make the shift to LED? And what will take the place of neon in the Seattle of the 2020s? What might signify Seattle in the next decade?Ī century ago, MOHAI Executive Director Leonard Garfield tells me, “Neon coincided quite literally with Seattle’s coming of age.” In the 1920s, Seattle was a booming industrial center, neon was popular, and the city was eager to show the world that it mattered. They act as literal beacons in the darkness of long winter nights, and they earn an irrational degree of affection in the process: What else can explain why the restoration of the Rainier “R” became a high-profile campaign that culminated in a party? Or why the fate of the P-I Globe has long been a source of anxiety for Seattleites? But it’s often the little details that help give a city an identity - and neon signs, inconsequential though they might seem, have undoubtedly earned a place in Seattle’s skyline. Seattle has bigger problems on its hands than neon getting replaced with LEDs or falling out of repair. The Rapunzel neon lights shine in the window of the Fremont Bridge as a pedestrian walks by in Seattle on Sept. Their durability and their reduced energy consumption make them an increasingly tempting neon replacement. LEDs, by contrast, are encased in plastic, so they’re less liable to break. That’s why you’ll often see entire letters or words missing from a neon sign. The effect is magical - but if a tube breaks, it must be replaced. Neon, as any crossword solver knows, is “gas in glass,” sealed tight in carefully crafted tubes that emit bright colored light when electrified. But the real heartbreaker was the revolving sign at the Elephant Car Wash by Denny Avenue: The bulbs on the top half of the pachyderm were out. My personal favorite - the Mac’s Upholstery sign in Ballard - needed some minor fixes. That’s not the only neon sign that looked a little worse for wear during my nighttime survey: The historic “Rooms 75¢” State Hotel sign in Pioneer Square, for example, was only half lit: “s 75¢.” The Dick’s on Holman Road just said “Dic” on one side. (Last year, the Post-Intelligencer reported that it would cost approximately half a million dollars to refurbish the globe.) North America is missing a border, and the yellow eagle sitting atop the planet flickers uncertainly in the night. The P-I Globe on the waterfront may be one of the most iconic remaining pieces in the city, but it’s in desperate need of repair, as I saw firsthand on a recent nocturnal tour of dozens of Seattle’s signature neon signs. (The original “R” now lives in the Museum of History and Industry, or MOHAI.) In 2016, the “City Light” sign in SoDo was swapped out for LED rope lighting. Most of your visitors will definitely be amazed by its visual impact.Even some of the great neon signs of the past have been replaced with LED substitutes: As of 2013, the Rainier “R” beside I-5 is no longer made of neon, but out of 470 LED bulbs. Drive-Thru Open LED Neon Sign sign is value for money, has a lifespan of 50,000 hours. It can also easily hang on the wall or storefront with the help of robust metal chains.įeatures: Our ready to use indoor signs are energy-efficient, uses a fraction of the energy compared to traditional neon glass signs. Installation: All our flex signs come with pre-drilled holes to wall mount with standoff bolts. Warranty: "We have less than 1% breakage rate".To cover these rare occurrences for Neon LED signs, we provide a year warranty from the date of purchase form any manufacturing defects. Drive-Thru Open LED Neon Sign is an eye-catching and enticing neon light wall art, blending to all kinds of backdrops, be it a Party, Cafe, Bar, or Office.Ĭustomize neon light: Every LED neon sign handcrafted by our artisans can be customized on your request, be it changing the colors of text or border, altering size to fit your venue, or any other personal touch. All our LED neon signs are hand-made with precision on black acrylic backing to give a flawless and clean output. Drive-Thru Open LED Neon Sign Green, White and Red and affordable neon signs option as a memorable gift or aesthetic lighting for your own space. Drive-Thru Open LED Neon Sign with colors will be a stunning addition to your venue.
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