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Neon Vancouver Ugly Vancouver

Comments 48 by Rebecca Bollwitt
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The switch was thrown on Vancouver’s first neon signs on Granville in 1924 and the craze erupted in the 1950s when 19,000 neon signs illuminated the city. Some though it was a sign of being a booming, bustling, progressive metropolis. Others thought they were the biggest eyesores and took away from Vancouver’s stunning natural surroundings.

A new exhibit at the Museum of Vancouver, Neon Vancouver | Ugly Vancouver, will look at both sides of the neon argument.

Neon Vancouver
Image courtesy of the Museum of Vancouver

Did Vancouver’s flashing neon signs signal glamour, excitement and big city living? Or was neon part of a tawdry display that disfigured Vancouver’s natural beauty?

People were of two minds in Vancouver in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Neon signs that we now love were at that time, objects of deep civic controversy.

Neon was one highly visible sign of Vancouver’s transition from a sleepy west coast port into a striving, happening city. Neon became a lightening rod for critics of change, and at the same time, became the focus of a civic conversation about values in Vancouver.

MOVIELAND ARCADE Meats Hotel
Photo credit left to right: kennymatic, peanutian, jubilo haku on Flickr

Neon Vancouver begins October 13, 2011 and it will run until late summer next year with curator talks this November and December. If you haven’t been to the Museum of Vancouver recently, this would be a great way to explore their urban archives, displays, exhibits, and artifacts.

The 10-month exhibition will kick off with an opening party Wednesday, October 12, 2011. If you’d like to attend, here’s how you can win a pair of tickets:

  • Leave a comment on this post about your favourite neon sign in Vancouver (past or present) (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I entered to win tickets to the Neon #Vancouver Ugly Vancouver opening party @MuseumofVan from @Miss604 http://bit.ly/n7IwIV

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Thursday, October 6, 2011.

Update The winner is Alice!

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48 Comments  —  Comments Are Closed

  1. Erin Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 1:26pm PDT

    My fav in Vancouver is the Save on Meats!

  2. Hayley Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 1:29pm PDT

    My favourite was always Helen’s.

  3. Toby Sullivan Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 1:32pm PDT

    It almost feels over-used but I’d have to say the Save-On-Meats sign takes it if only for shear originality (I mean, come on, pigs with giant dollars? How cuuuuuute).
    I don’t really know how else to judge a neon sign… I suppose subtlety could be a metric 😛

  4. Sanaz Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 1:39pm PDT

    My favorite is the W sign

  5. David Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 1:47pm PDT

    I really like the neon “GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS” at the Cobalt, for obvious reasons.

  6. hag Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 1:55pm PDT

    I liked the Smilin’ Buddha , Ho Ho Inn and Bamboo Terrace signs.

  7. Samantha Clark Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 1:55pm PDT

    Save on meats!

  8. Darryl Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 1:56pm PDT

    I enjoy the save-on-meats sign and enjoy the look of neon signage. Interesting use of the LED signage and eye catching displays going up around the city. i would enjoy seeing this exhibition at VAG.

  9. Janet Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 2:19pm PDT

    The Aristocratic

  10. Meaghan Rafferty Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 2:36pm PDT

    For me, it’s definitely a tie between the Save-on-Meats sign and the W! Save-on-Meats just because it’s a cute pig, and the W because you can see it from far away! It makes me smile 🙂

  11. Linda Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 3:14pm PDT

    i love the old ‘helen’s’ now the ‘heights’ sign! 🙂

    @jadersyo

  12. Stuart DesBrisay Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 3:24pm PDT

    I don’t remember the name of the business, but on Seymour St. between Georgia and Davie, one of the auto-repair shops had a wonderful sign: Two neon cars would crash together head-on, then spring apart again, perpetually! The sign was in use into the 1970’s at least.

  13. Amy Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 4:14pm PDT

    Love the East Van sign

  14. Natalie Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 5:14pm PDT

    I like the swinging girl on east hastings !

  15. Anne Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 6:15pm PDT

    I like the Smilin Buddha sign

  16. Vanessa Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 7:57pm PDT

    Save on Meats!

  17. zanna Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 — 9:47pm PDT

    Helen’s of course… cmon it has a swing!

  18. Deidre Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 — 10:39am PDT

    I loved Helen – they updated it and I am glad we still have her, but wish she was still called Helen!

  19. Ruby Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 — 10:42am PDT

    Helen

  20. Alan Hawker Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 — 10:44am PDT

    I think Helen’s was great, but for sheet majesty, you can’t beat the Orpheum sign.

  21. Alakitten Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 — 11:58am PDT

    I like Helen’s!

  22. Lauren Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 — 11:58am PDT

    Helen’s sign before, now the heights, ugh. Long live Helen’s!

  23. Brenda Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 — 6:51pm PDT

    Gotta be the Orpheum!

  24. Michelle Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 — 10:47pm PDT

    Def the W!

  25. Katie Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 — 10:54pm PDT

    Love the East Van Sign.

  26. Cory Thursday, September 29th, 2011 — 1:06am PDT

    I live in the wrong decade. Most of them are all gone nowadays.

  27. allyson Thursday, September 29th, 2011 — 2:02pm PDT

    SAVE ON MEATS!!!!

  28. Gladys Thursday, September 29th, 2011 — 2:59pm PDT

    I’ll always remember the old BowMac sign on West Broadway.

  29. Jan Thursday, September 29th, 2011 — 7:36pm PDT

    Drake Hotel and Save On Meas\ts

  30. Jan Thursday, September 29th, 2011 — 7:37pm PDT

    Drake Hotel and Save On Meats

  31. Teresa Thursday, September 29th, 2011 — 9:37pm PDT

    East Van one.

  32. Jessica R.F Friday, September 30th, 2011 — 9:06am PDT

    East Van cross. Without a doubt. Thank you, Ken Lum.

  33. Robin Friday, September 30th, 2011 — 12:03pm PDT

    I love the Only Seafoods one with the seahorse on it.

  34. Gordon Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 — 1:35am PDT

    Save-on-Meats 🙂

  35. Grace Sunday, October 2nd, 2011 — 3:23pm PDT

    Ho Ho Chinese Food in Chinatown!

  36. Vince Monday, October 3rd, 2011 — 11:42am PDT

    The Orpheum!

  37. Kevin Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 — 2:48pm PDT

    Ho Ho in Chinatown.

  38. Stephanie Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 — 4:32pm PDT

    The Orpheum

  39. Ginger Gervais Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 — 6:07pm PDT

    Im going to have to go with the majority with Helens

  40. alice irwin Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 — 10:22pm PDT

    the Stanley Theatre on south Granville

  41. Michelle W. Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 — 10:40pm PDT

    East Van!

  42. Sharon Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 — 6:39am PDT

    Smiling Buddha – my parents used to hang out there when they first met.

  43. Alice Farrow Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 — 10:55am PDT

    The Woodwards “W”. It is my shining beacon to find my way home.

    It’s currently stopped moving right now – fix the W!

  44. Alicia Thursday, October 6th, 2011 — 1:17am PDT

    I like the East Van sign! 🙂

    I tweeted about the contest here: http://twitter.com/#!/awesome_tacos/status/121861453220298752

  45. AC07-NW Thursday, October 6th, 2011 — 10:56am PDT

    Ovaltine Cafe

  46. Stacie Schartner Thursday, October 6th, 2011 — 11:38am PDT

    Woo hoo! Thanks for doing contests like this! 🙂

  47. Karen Friday, October 7th, 2011 — 7:17am PDT

    BOW MAC …. on BROAD-WAY!

  48. GS test Sunday, March 31st, 2013 — 8:26am PDT

    Neon Vancouver Ugly Vancouver – Vancouver Blog Miss604 » Vancouver Blog Miss604

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