Or get some new ones.
In the Delmar Loop, entrepreneur Joe Edwards has been responsible for creating some of the most interesting signage on a streetscape anywhere. With his wonderful restoration of the two-story sign on the front of the Tivoli Theater, his electronic billboard on Blueberry Hill, his huge rotating moon on top of his Moonrise Hotel, his neon peacock sign on the facade of his Peacock Diner and a personal favorite, the neon pinup on the Pinup Bowl, he has created a streetscape of visual delights. No wonder the Delmar Loop was designated as one of the 10 Great Streets in America by the American Planning Association.
In Maplewood we are a bit impoverished in the signage department.
We have the vintage, landmarked, neon Paramount Jewelers sign.
In the Greenwood historic district (located at Greenwood and Sutton) we have a ghost HARDWARE sign on the side of the former Milligan’s Million Article store. These are very nice and we’re lucky to have them but we could have so much more.
We have some wonderful signs in our historic photographs. In the past, these entertained and lured sidewalk strollers and motorists. Wouldn’t it be great if these images could inspire the creation of some new signs?
The Katz Drugstore sign, once perched at the corner of Sutton and Manchester, was truly one of the great ones.
Courtesy of the Missouri History Museum
In this excerpt from a panoramic photograph of the 7300 block of Manchester, a small storefront displays an amazing Art Deco explosion in neon that must have created much visual excitement. Too bad that one is gone. It must have been stunning when it was lit up!
Just a little off the subject, the parapets on the two adjoining buildings still exist.
Although, they almost didn’t.
Empire Supply had a great sign depicting paint pouring from a can and covering the world. Want to know something pretty neat?
It is still there. Underneath this slick new one.
The People’s State Bank had a neat one, too. Although, it was probably time that did it in and not the fire that happened next door in the mid 1930s.
The People’s State Bank building still exists at 7172 Manchester.
Citizen’s National Bank had a wonderful neon sign and a great clock.
They are both gone now. Too bad. The clock is such a cool item that nowadays it would be saved.
The building that once held the Maplewood Theater still exists in the 7100 block of Manchester. The marquee should definitely be rebuilt.
The wall anchors, cast iron lion’s heads, that supported the chains holding up the marquee are still in place.
The original marquee disappeared a long time ago. It was a real thrill to discover this image of it. This is the only good photograph of it that I have been able to find.
Sometime in the early 1950s this marquee was built. The image is from 1955. I think we should rebuild a version of this one. The reason being that the original letters, spelling MAPLEWOOD, we still have in the city garage. They could become icons to generations of Route 66ers.
A lightweight welded aluminum frame describing the shape of the original marquee could be mounted on three poles and installed a foot away from the theater building. In that manner ownership issues could be avoided.
Since the theater auditorium no longer exists, the sign could be used to advertise city events. The location is very close to the eastern boundary of Maplewood. It could have the effect of being the “Welcome to Maplewood” sign that we lack on that end.
Our downtown is booming. Joe Edwards’ signs contribute so much to the streetscape in U-City. We should encourage any of our downtown business owners with thoughts in this direction.
Doug Houser May 6,2026