Twin Ports Illuminated Signs
I’m sad to see that the Big L sign has gone dark. It’s definitely my favorite illuminated sign in the area. Here’s a gallery of a few more of my favorites. I’m sure there are others that I’ve missed, so if you have some photos you’d like to share, please do so in the comments.
Oh, and by the way, the blue sign at Holiday? That thing is hideous and I hate it with every fiber of my being.
Where is the hookah sign located?
Duluth’s Planning Division recently held a public meeting to get feedback about the current rules and regulations that govern signs in the city of Duluth.
I didn’t go to the meeting, but here’s my feedback.
1) More signs like the “Big L.”
2) Smash that awful Holiday light immediately.
Why so many red signs? Is red neon cheapest/easiest?
Paul, the gist of the meetings with public, sign makers, businesses: We want more off-premise directional signs and more video billboards. Ugh. And they are planning on banning any signs with blue neon around them.
One of my favs.
From the interweb tubes:
Red is the color neon gas produces, neon gas glows with its characteristic red light even at atmospheric pressure. There are now more than 150 colors possible; almost every color other than red is produced using argon, mercury and phosphor. Neon tubes actually refer to all positive-column discharge lamps, regardless of the gas filling.
One of my favorites is the Warehouse Bar and Grill sign, which now resides inside Grandma’s Sports Garden.
The Holiday signs are marketing genius. Without any rebranding, they have found an easy and legal way to make their locations instantly recognizable from miles away.
The first time I saw the one on 27th as I was coming across the high bridge with my aging vision, I literally drove out of my way to see what it was (looks like a giant, blue, squarish blob in the sky when it’s as blurry as I see it). Now I notice Holiday station stores everywhere I go way before I actually get to the location.
Surely obnoxious, especially from a blurry perspective. But simple genius. They almost seem to be made of some brighter, alien neon.
I like the Lake Ave. neon strip – none of those made the cut here. And after the Gmas Marathon sign appeared, it was fun to see everything on that strip go neon too. Now Canal Park is Neon Nation.
Was that a joke about Neon blue signs being banned? I hope so because that would be complete crap if that was true. I think there is a limit to annoying amount of lights but to single out a color is crap.
The extremely bright “blue neon” signs (such as the one at Holiday) are not neon, but LED, which is why they’re so bright compared to real neon signs.
The hookah sign is also LED, and is located at Cigs for Less on Grand Avenue.
Oh, I hate those Holiday signs! There is one on Arrowhead Road, too. It’s at the intersection with Rice Lake Road, and it’s too dang bright to be next to stoplights. It’s like a bug light, drawing people in.
Every time I see the Holiday sign in my rearview, I fear I’m getting pulled over.
Here’s some Little Angie’s illumination.
Duluth News Tribune: Quality, artistry, history: Neon signs have that certain ‘something’
(Images by Steve Kuchera)