What: The Coffee Cup

Where: 914 S Clarkson St Charlotte, NC

When: 2006

Details: Classic Southern food from the ’40s. The place was possibly demolished for housing (before the developer -Beazer – went bust) and has relocated. Not sure about the status of the sign.

Gone now, more info here and here:

…built in 1908 to house vaudeville-style “clean” burlesque shows… a stage that hosted innovative, racially integrated shows and that provides a window into working-class popular entertainment of the early 20th century
 Title: Drama unfolds in the life of a burlesque theater
 Author: Gregory M. Lamb
 Publication: The Christian Science Monitor  

Where: Bronx NY – intersection of Warning Ave and White Plains Rd (?)

When:August 2001

Details: Thoughtful submission from my cousin Suzanne and her husband Ray (then living in the NYC area where they both do this amazingly brilliant bio research).

The place the ad mentions – Fordham Auto Radio is still around according to a Goggle search. Or at least recently. And this ad is a great example of the genre in a modern sense. You could probably date the sign: no area code needed (for 10 digit dialing)… car tape “decks“… no mention of CDs… Craig stereos…

Craig stereos? These were standard in Deloreans it seems. Craig stereos were powered by a Flux Capacitor therefore making them more desirable and so listed ahead of Blaupunkt which is a funny word anyway. Still, Blaupunkt outlasted Craig as a market player which in turn outlasted the Delorean. Sony produced the first car CD player in 1984. Craig washed up before 1997. So make a guess on this sign’s age…

I like the arrow next to the phone number… hope is just around the corner it seems. And the graffiti only serves to reinforce the  need for the Hood Locks they peddle around here. Hood locks in the hood.

This space was tagged by Mack signs (see the plaque sign below the ad). They also painted it along with many others in the area. There a story there somewhere.

Anyway – thanks again ‘Cuz!

Villa Capri Motel – San Diego, CA – Coronado area. Can’t remember much about snapping this one, we were visiting my Uncle out West and caught this gem.

What: Ratcliffe Florist building

Where: 400 block of South Tryon Street – Charlotte, NC

When:17 March 2001

Source: Detail of photo taken with a Sony DSC-505

Details: Just felt a need to share this ghost ad if not for the history – for the wonderful L. Frank Baum-ish typeface.

The side of the Ratcliffe Florist building. At some time in the past another building was built alongside (over the ad) and preserved the ad – preserved until a reinforcing rod went through the ‘F’. The ad is on the side of the Mediterranean Revival style building – the building is about 72 years old.

It is rare for Charlotte to spare old downtown buildings from the wrecking ball but in this case the building was moved across the street until a parking garage is completed ‘under’ its former site. This picture is the side of the building as it sits across the street from it’s former site. The building was moved back and and a modern building built around it. So the ghost ad again disappears from sight.

Here is a link to a little of the building’s history as well as a photo of the building’s elevation as it was in it’s original spot: http://www.cmhpf.org/S&RR/ratcliffe.html.

I think the bay window tucked under the arch is contemporary. In the building’s life as a [really good] restaurant the bay window served as a fun spot to sit while dining.