A look at the history behind Edmonton’s colourful Neon Sign Museum

Ever looked down 104th Street and wondered what the deal is with those neon signs? Us too.

The Neon Sign Museum is one of Edmonton’s most historic attractions, one of which is free of charge and available 24/7. Edmonton has collected, restored and installed neon signs on the east wall of the TELUS building and the south wall of the Mercer Warehouse building on 104th Street and 104th Avenue. This display might be unassuming during the day, but at night, it glows with beautiful radiance.

While the museum itself was part of a city revitalization project, the signs themselves have some pretty interesting history behind them.

The history behind some of the neon signs

These signs have a rich history with the city, and Call the Kettle Black is just one of them.

This local specialty kitchen shop operated for two decades, with its first Edmonton store opening in 1996. Its sign, used for the High Street location of Call the Kettle Black, was originally built by Blanchett Neon in 1994. They continued expanding and opening various locations in Vancouver, continuing business as usual. Call the Kettle Black ended up closing in 2016, with the sign being restored by Skyline Sign Services Ltd. Now, it shines bright on 104th Street.

The same thing can be said for the sign from The Movie Studio, an independent supplier of home videos. It opened its doors in 1997 and was a fixture on 109th Street for 18 years. Unfortunately, the switch to high-speed internet and on-demand movies shut down this local video store. It closed forever in May 2015, now marking a distinctive piece in history.

Not all the signs at the museum are originals; in particular, the Princess Theatre neon sign is a replica. Its original condition did not lend itself to appropriate restoration.

As theatres had to attract attention in the 1940s, the Princess Theatre grabbed attention with its horizontal marquee and, you guessed it, the vertically lit neon sign you see in the museum today. This original sign was done in an Art Deco style and was relatively short-lived, as it was removed from the building on Mar. 10, 1954.

Address: 104th Street NW, Edmonton, Alta.

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