We asked readers to tell us their favorite iconic Chicago sign. Here’s what they told us, lightly edited for clarity:
“Trim and Tidy Cleaners in Jefferson Park. The sign hasn’t changed in 50 years.”
— Jon Larson
“My favorite Chicago sign was the Magikist sign along the Kennedy [Expressway]. As a kid, when I saw that sign, I had some idea of how much longer till the family station wagon arrived downtown or arrived home from a trip downtown. … I always sat in the third row, which faced backwards, and got to stare at the lips for a long time as they filled in with vertical lines of bright, red lights over and over.”
— Loretta Namovic
“The Harold’s Chicken Shack sign. IYKYK.”
— Brian Althimer
“The Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge signs and their infamous typography (see ‘The Blues Brothers’).”
— Marty Regan
“The Chicago Theater sign in the evening while watching all the excited people taking in a concert.”
— Terrence Camodeca
“The Ebony/Jet sign, because it meant I was out of southern Indiana.”
— Scott Singer
“The lottery sign on I-94 when it still had the rotating panels. As a kid I couldn’t wrap my head around how they worked.”
— Dave Levin
“The Baby Ruth sign that used to be on Lake Shore Drive.”
— Tony Galati
“The Little Palestine Way sign at 87th Street and Harlem Avenue. It’s beautiful.”
— Ali Salman
“The [Native American] at 63rd Street and Pulaski Road. It’s a South Side landmark.”
— Lulu Hz
“Old Style signs.”
— Patricia Simmons
“The Town & Country Liquor Mart neon sign in Brighton Park.”
— Jaime Duque
“The giant Rainbow Cone on the original location in Beverly.”
— Bobby Veejay Marley
“The dancing hot dogs on the roof of Superdawg at Milwaukee and Devon avenues.”
— JoAnne Kempf
“Kiddieland.”
— Angelica Aragón Rooney
“PBR over South Water Street — obvs.”
— Jim Pabst