North side neon: Morse, Maize, Indianola

I guess for me, neoning and fall go together. If you notice I start to really feel the neon energy with the re-energizing weather of the fall, and spring to an extent. Neon looks good twelve months a year, but it just takes on a more glowing alluring look on a cool fall or early winter night, or a cool spring early morning. So this past Saturday night, which I seemed to consider either the last summer day or first fall day, some after-work plans fell through. I decided to take a drive around Morse Road, Maize, and Indianola from the north end down to the campus area. It would have been a perfect night to (finally) get to the High street corridor where the neon rivals Vegas in some spots, but..Gallery Hop was going on. And, OSU won a football game earlier in the day. I don't want to get in the way of burning couches!Keep in mind, I was a student back in the days when students actually rioted because we lost to Michigan years and years in a row, there was no 'campus gateway', and I am still a huge OSU fan. I just don't think barely beating a middle of the pack MAC school is all that much to riot over. If we beat USC next week, then maybe I will get in on the action. That being said, since there are only two weekends left before students return, I am thinking a weeknight, possibly a Thursday night, this week, would be perfect to cover the short north and campus areas. Few students have yet arrived on campus, but most of the businesses should be open and aglow with neon.

For now, enjoy what I could find from the north side of Indianola, Morse, Maize..the Beechwold/northland line. I have covered this area on High street before. Indianola isn't neon heaven. but it's not neon hell either. All of the pics were taken the night of Saturday, 9/6.

A psychic reader on Morse, near Maize Rd. Most of these psychics around here are in private residences (roads like Morse and Dublin-Granville used to be two-lane roads with houses and even former farmhouses of which a few remain). I have never seen a psychic but I would love to get a reading and see what kind of neon is in my future..




Furniture Land..a furniture store which was, in it's former life..a furniture store! Most former furniture stores become charter schools or flea markets these days. Nice framing.



McDonald's, at the corner of Morse/Maize. Back in it's early days, McD's was known for it's cool neon signs, and the animated "Speedy" mascot. Once McD's became the global superpower that it is now, genericity ruled the day and those mansard roofs sported flourescent tube lighting with yellow covering. I loved those as a kid, but ya know..time for a change. This is one of few in the area that sports any neon. There are a few 'retro' styles that have Speedy ( I will show some day) and some with the "Playplace" feature neon signage.

Save-A-Lot, in an older strip mall at Morse/Maize. I like this store, but prefer Aldi. If I could find neon in an Aldi, I would be happy.

Tony's Pub, on Maize just south or Morse. Interesting framing work with a generic "OPEN" in the middle.



Comic Town, in the Toy's R Us strip mall at Morse and Maize. I like the Superman logo, but a Batman logo in neon would be a GREAT find! I have never understood things like Dungeons and Dragons, World of Warcraft, and Magic, but I admire the neon artwork.


A hottub/sauna dealer, on Indianola south of MOrse Road. Catch the wave!

Hair Concept, in a strip mall on Indianola near Oakland Park Ave.

A wine and beer store near Indianola and Broadway. I like some Red Stripe, mahnnn!

Body Wisdom. I believe a sort of massage center, on Indianola near Arcadia/Hudson.

Jumbo's Pizza formerly King's. They deliver. Call 'em. When I lived in the area, they saved me from starvation many times!

Glen Echo Service, at Hudson and N.4th street. They fix any and all cars. But their supercool neon sign needs some work. I hope to catch it again soon a litttttle brighter.

James Road area/Bexley, east Columbus

When I first covered the east side areas, specifically the areas of Berwick, Eastmoor, Whitehall, and Bexley in past posts, there were some hidden gems which I somehow overlooked or forgot and meant to return. This is the result. Most of the photos in this set are in the James Road area, between Broad and Livingston. These pics were taken on the cloudy morning of Friday, 9/5.



Franks Restaurant, just west of James Rd. on Broad Street. I am sure it is good. But they advertise 'good food'. Would anyone claim they serve bad food?


Sunny's Café, Broad and James.


I know, I violated one of my rules with these photos. Well, I violated two rules. This was taken around 10:00AM. AND, it is unlit. The sad thing is though, I don't know if it is lit up at night anymore. This is one of the very few surviving pieces of 'classic' neon in the Columbus area, meaning this sign dates to probably the late 1950's or early 60's. I HAVE seen it lit before, but not in quite a while. Or I am just not there at the right time. I took this pic on Friday morning and I went by around 11:00PM last night and it was dark. I really hope this sign has not gone dark permanantly. I seem to recall seeing lit pics of this on flickr sites of other folks. This Super Duper is on the west side of James Rd., between Main and Livingston. It is a beautiful piece of roadside art that just takes anyone back to a simpler time. Even those of us who weren't around in that simpler time.


Pawn shop next to the Super Duper. This was one of the few times I went neoning with my daughter in the car since it was morning. She saw the diamond and wanted me to take a picture of it! Of course! Girls..diamonds..she is learning young ahhhhh!

The Pawn Shop

In tough times, when we are low on cash but high on 'stuff', where do we go? To DA PAWN SHOP!
This is a tribute to the place we go when the rent is due and the stereo isn't sounding so good! Or when that wedding ring will buy groceries now that my a-hole of a husband or wife decided to play with the babysitter!

Also..notice the framing job on the furniture store next door. Wicked! All of this can be seen just west of Morse and Cleveland on the north end of Columbus.

Average Joes Pub/Marilyn surprise

I went to the Average Joe's Pub at Polaris at the end of June. Cool pub, pretty good pub grub. Not a well established hole in the wall place at all, it is a chain, but not bad for a good time. My friend Brian had a gift certificate which defrayed the cost. The neon inside was nothing spectacular, but not too bad either. Typical bar signs. Since I was there, I had to take some pics. Sadly I have been frequenting many different places this summer and forget to bring a camera or take a good picture. Enjoy:



The Budweiser sign was particularly ironic. The sign is now outdated since a couple weeks after I snapped that shot, Budweiser is now a Belgian owned beer. Still brewed and operated in the good ole U S of A though. THe Coors one..nice sign..but I don't care for Coor's (unless it is free or very very cheap) and I didn't care for Super Bowl XLII, being a die hard New England fan.

Last month also, my daughter and I decided to do the pasta/salad/pizza buffet at Massey's across the street from our home. The exterior was featured back at the beginning of this blog..cool red and green neon reflecting the Italian heritage of pizza. But inside something I didn't expect. Norma Jean aka Marilyn Monroe opening a bottle..in all it's neon glory. I am sure I could buy this at Spencer's for $50 or so, but I didn't expect it in an otherwise plain jane Massey's dining room.

This was another phone dump. I MEAN IT..I will be doing some neoning soon. Possibly as early as tonight. I am thinking of doing a video tour, incorporating video logging my travels as well as still images. And of course, music.

Crew Stadium

Yep, I went and watched a soccer game. Was an awesome time. For all those who haven't given it a try, I recommend it. Fairly inexpensive and a good game. Way too many Americans simply won't watch anything that isn't completely American with American stars. I love baseball and football but this is the WORLD'S SPORT, and last I checked, we are still part of the WORLD. Surprisingly little variation neonwise in the six or so concession stands. UNfortunately, concessions are major league prices (well, it IS MAJOR league soccer!). Thee were taken the evening of 6/28. By the way, the Crew beat Colorado 2-1.

EAST POLARIS/MAXTOWN ROAD

I got off work a bit early last night and decided to head up Cleveland Avenue to the western edge of POlaris Parkway/Maxtown Road area to see what was going on up there. Not terribly exciting but I did find a few good ones. I stayed east of I-71/the mall area because that is one happening place as far as neon goes, and I will need several hours to cover that area, hopefully next week sometime. All these pics were taken the night of Friday, 6/27 with my digital camcorder still function.







OK, in order: 1. Diadora. At a soccer related store at Westerview Center (ok, not really Polaris/Maxtown area, but was on my way there)

2. Damon's Grill, Polaris Pkwy and St. Rt. 3/State Street. This sign is on the back of the building, not facing Polaris but facing it's parking lot.

3. Quizno's. Subs. Yummy. Located in a stripmall at Maxtown and State.

4. Multicolored OPEN sign, Mexican Restaurant in same strip center. I enjoy these multicolored yet simple installations. Much more interesting visually than the red and blue stuff.

5. SportClips. A hair salon catering to men, with TV's showing sports while getting a haircut. Steam towel treatments and all. But I would likely get a bad cut since I would be moving my head to watch the sports on their TVs!

6. Panda Express. Fast Chinese food. It's pretty good, but a little on the pricey side.

7. Camille's. Some sorta fakey French-style sidewalk cafe, like you would see in Paree, but this is actually in a stripmall at Polaris Pkwy and Worthington Road. It's in the middle of s sorta dead stretch between the 3C highway and the mall area. Cool sign.

8. Pei Wei, an Asian Diner..near Polaris and Cleveland, about halfway between the mall area and State Street. I never put the words "diner" and "Asian" in the same phrase before, but Cameron Mitchell did. Looks like a nice place but probably way overpriced Chinese food. There appeared to be cool Chinese neon beer signs in here, and this was one. The place was closed but a few employees were in there and started staring at me as I pointed my camera into their establishment. Maybe one day I will return for more pics.

In the meantime..

I know it has been a while again since I have done some neoning. I thought spring would have been a great time to get out with the camera, but life has kept me plenty busy! Between my 3 and a half-year-old daughter, work, chores, etc I don't have a lot of time and as much energy to be up til 1am taking pictrues. And I am rarely able to get away during the prime time hours, before places roll over and go to sleep, and around most areas of Columbus, that is much earlier than I get off work. But I am hoping with a few schedule changes in the coming weeks I can kick summer off to a glowing neon start. Also with the warmer weather and my decision to get back to walking as exercise, I will be spending some of the little free time I have walking in the city, especialy when it is not raining like it usually does around here. Sometime this month or next I will be doing the High Street corridor and downtown, which I have been looking forward to since I started this blog. Of course, businesses come and go as does neon, so even my geographic photo tours need ammending and updated now and then. And anytime I see something interesting in my usual stomping grounds I will be sure to have a camera with me.

In the meantime, until I post a new set, watch this slideshow I made back around the time I started this blog. I know, most of the neon in this is NOT from around Columbus, and no, sadly, none of it is my own photography. But I thought the pics along with the music made for a pretty cool cat neon experience!