Route 66 Neon Shop

OUR STORY

ReVIVE & REVITALIZE

The mission and goal of the Route 66 Neon Shop is to revive new and revitalize existing authentic neon glass signs in Albuquerque, NM and neighboring areas.

With a solid 30 year history installing and repairing neon signs, many pre-dating even our history to as far as the 1930s, we are pleased to again announce another milestone in our history, we offer on site neon repair.

Neon Signs vs LED Signs

Our Version, we use both and only work with products that are proven over time. This is a small pilot sign manufactured for a customer as a concept visual aid showing the use of real neon and LED technologies combined together. If it can't last 8 years or more in our climate temperatures combined with New Mexico sunshine then it's not worth offering, period.

Neon Repair

We offer on site neon glass sign repair in Albuquerque and new neon glass units can be made if needed. We locally stock and sell a large inventory of interior/exterior neon transformers, GTO wire, neon tube supports, and electrical components ready to service any pole sign, building sign, or interior neon sign in Albuquerque. Have a permanent mounted neon sign needing repair? We are ready to go and just a call away.

Bouquet of Vibrant Neon Sign Colors

The neon bender's intense color palette makes up a kaleidoscopic bouquet of vibrant neon sign color shades, tones, tints, and hues. Neon and transparent clear glass make up the classic clear red neon tube. The creation of all other colors involves the use of neon, argon, or a mixture together with colored glass or fluorescent powders, such as those used to make warm white or pink neon tubes.

Neon Glass Window Signs

When neon window signs first appeared in the 1930's to 1940's, they brought the historic, distinctive custom neon signs and the enchanting appeal of vintage neon to storefront windows. Still to this day, neon window signage provides curb appeal that sparks interest and curiosity drawing potential customers thru the door.

Neon window signs are cost effective having a lower cost per impression compared to most other forms of advertising and are the least expensive exterior form of signage. The benefits include reduced installation costs, financial savings from using indoor neon transformers rather than weatherproof ones, simplicity in cleaning and servicing, and the best possible protection from the elements without the need for covers or shielding to preserve the entire three-dimensional appearance of the vivid colors making them an easy to spot long lasting impression.

Following an existing neon sign painting, cleaning, or repair, the addition of a neon window sign gives a business a distinctive, eye-catching, and reasonably priced makeover that stands out from the competition. We're Here to Help, reach out and we'll happily answer any questions.

New Neon Sign Glass Bending

The vintage technique known as "neon glass sign bending", historic as it will always be, involves heating a piece of glass until it becomes pliable and then shaping it into the desired shape. Then the glass is positioned in relation to a neon sign paper design pattern that has the text or images on it. Our local neon bender is ready to meet and discuss any new neon sign projects starting the first step in the neon glass design process. Renderings can be created before making patterns providing a great understanding of what the project will look like.

Neon Sign Installation, Painting, & Accents

Licensed, bonded, and insured to Install, remove, relocate, and refurbish any non-illuminated, electric, or neon signs whether we built it or not. Nothing brings life back like a fresh new sign painting, neon sign cleaning, or the addition of authentic neon sign accents to an existing sign or building. Genuine neon glass is eye-catching and sure to draw potential customers thru the door. We are local and serving Albuquerque, NM and surrounding areas.

Morningside Shopping Center Neon Sign

Installed in the early 1960s in the Nob Hill commercial district attracting many tourists along with natives for its locally owned beloved prominent fashion shops, fine dining, classy boutiques, and trendy bazaar shops. Located on the corner of Morningside Drive and Central Avenue on Route 66 Albuquerque, New Mexico. With not much history on this sign to mention, one thing is known it's striking ability to bring the true brilliant vibrancy of neon glass to the night sky as it illuminates.

This vintage one of a kind painted three green paneled sign with white letters irritated with non-animated green neon has a unique multi-font theme followed by being one of a small number of rooftop signs appearing in the City of Albuquerque. Once described as a "Sky Sign", later coined "Scaffold Sign" still to this day, is a hybrid freestanding structure with visible angle irons making it an irreproducible icon due to local city codes of today.

Modern restoration could be done on this sign due to the availability of sheet metal and lettering enamels but the old phosphor "Green" neon tubing has been reformulated and is no longer available. The new "Green" of today is a bit more yellower and is considered inferior amongst other neon benders in America I have consulted with due to the washed out color in the bends. Either way I'm glad to see we now at least have green neon glass tubing available again.

The orientation implies it may have had an ancillary relative for the east end of the shopping center in the works during it's original development as well as local rumors and myths. Or it could be simply facing the intersection onto which it is located. Never the less it is a neon staple of attraction welcomed along with many others of the Route 66 community.

Route 66 Neon Sign of the Week

Dell Rhea Neon Sign

With a rich history of truth, myths, and rumors the legendary 77 year old Dell Rhea neon sign remains an icon beaming it's vibrant neon colors thanks to a well needed $17,300 matching grant from the National Parks, the sign was restored in 2017. Not sure what sparked the grant but the owner had made claims of the "Casing" needing to be redone.

Originally, early 1950s, the "Nationally Famous Chicken Basket" Willow Brook, IL was acquired in 1963 changing to "Dell Rhea Chicken Basket". The new then owner had passed away in 1992 and his son took over the business retaining the name still to this day. The history of the area and the business is well recognized as well as the food with many great reviews. They even have a page on Wikipedia, but the neon sign itself is the focus of this mainly the changes over the years to it.

The original top two panels, as mentioned above, had modifications made to it in 1963 after the acquisition leaving unused holes from the previous housings that were concealed with small covers that over the years some had fallen off leaving them exposed to the elements. This may have lead to the reason these face panels where changed or recovered during the 2017 neon sign restoration. I had not seen but read about the four holes in the upper corners accommodated the words "World Famous" but was removed at some point.

During the 2017 revamp of the sign and the neon there were other alterations made as well but not to the "Cocktail Lounge" and it's neon boarder tube probably due to this panel being of original fabrication of the sign as well as the metal skin incandescent portions.

Prior to the restoration, the letter "K" in "Chicken Basket" was the only unit that was bent individually, the rest were combined in pairs of two letters sharing housings. After the restoration all the "Chicken Basket" letters were converted into individual neon units increasing the number of housings and the luminous footage of the overall sign while the "Dell Rea" were kept the same but the housing holes were relocated.

The housing holes being relocated to under the neon is definitely more clean looking. The original housings were located to the side of the letters being more visible. The three straight neon accents on this sign appear to be original except for the glass used. The original red colored glass, possibly classic ruby, was changed to clear red neon. The availability, shipping, and costs of the red glass in the modern today makes complete sense why this was done. The only notable alteration notable was the color it was repainted. The original color appears to have been more of a bright red but again the darker restoration color will last years longer.

At the bottom pole pocket lower skirt post restoration has a "Federal Electric" name on it which is surprising due to the sign company that removed the neon sign for restoration was North Shore Sign Company. So who ever did the actual restoration did a really well job and might have read this and thought, "Dang, I'm glad this project is done".

Last Weeks Route 66 Sign of the Week

Route 66: The Neon Road

Great video from 1999 New Mexico Route 66 Neon Sign Restorations and Neon Roto-Shpere Refurbish

Route 66 Road Trip

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Video on Some of the Nice Route 66 Signs in New Mexico

Great Route 66 Videos