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Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign

Retro roadside
In Pasadena, California
On Route 66
National Register of Historic Places

In Pasadena, CA, the giant rooftop sign of Bekins Storage Co. was put up in 1926 and turned into a neon sign in 1929. It towers about 60 feet above the street and was aimed at drivers on Fair Oaks Avenue, which served as Route 66 between 1926 and 1940. Listed on the National Register, it is a direct link to the early years of the highway.

What is Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign?

The sign stands on top of the old Bekins Storage Company building. It is the last large rooftop sign in Pasadena from before World War II, and one of only a few signs of any kind left from that era. Pasadena now bans signs like it, but those older than 1960 are exempt and kept on a city register.

History of Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign

Bekins put the sign up in 1926 to advertise its storage business and added neon in 1929. Its placement was chosen to catch the attention of motorists heading along Fair Oaks Avenue during the years Route 66 used that street. Later it was reworked to advertise A. American Storage Co., and today it carries the Public Storage name. The sign gained National Register listing on October 15, 1997.

Visiting Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign: tips

View it from the street; it sits high on a private building. A quick photo stop is all you need. The Armory Center for the Arts, the Norton Simon Museum and the Pacific Asia Museum are each about 0.8 miles away.

Practical info

On site & nearby

Sources: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) · Wikidata · official site — may be outdated. Suggest a fix

Where to eat near Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign

All diners →

Diner & restaurant
Twohey's
South Pasadena, CA · 1.1 mi from Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign
A 1950s-style diner in South Pasadena, founded in 1943 and known for a burger called the Little Stink-O.
Diner & restaurant
Fair Oaks Pharmacy
South Pasadena, CA · 1.5 mi from Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign
A 1915 pharmacy with an old-fashioned soda fountain, on the corner where Route 66 ran down Fair Oaks Avenue.
Diner & restaurant
Philippe's
Los Angeles, CA · 7.3 mi from Bekins Storage Co. Roof Sign
A downtown Los Angeles restaurant running since 1908 that claims to have invented the French dip sandwich.