While neon is still used as an advertising medium as well as artistically, the "heyday" of neon was probably about 1940-1960. Neons were still a dominant feature on buildings and in windows well past that, but by the 1980s they were starting to go dark. They were associated with sleazy businesses like pay-by-the-hour hotels, bars, strip clubs and such. Then of course came the 1990s with it's LED cheapness. LED signage has a lower upfront cost, lower electric bills, and lower levels of craftmanship and brilliance. I do sorta get why organizations and individuals choose LED..$$$$. But in the end, in my opinion, neon grabs more eyeballs than the LEDs. Also, LEDs need to be replaced more often, thus often offsetting the savings compared to neon.
So let's visit a few pictures from the heyday of neon in Columbus. These were sent to me by Ms. Catherine A. Eitel, whose father started Allied Sign Company in Columbus. These are some that he actually did himself, among others.
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| Jiffy Burgers. 12c hamburgers! |
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| The Jiffy Drive Ins. Location unknown, though a 194 directory lists a location as E. 5th Avenue. |
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| AMF Main Lanes. This sign was gone before I started bowling there in the early 1990s, though some of the neon on the building itself survived to the end, and I have a photo of it somewhere. |
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| The Blue Danube! Still around and the neon still looks great some 50-60 years later! |
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