Neon Sign Walking Tour of Uptown

A great sign does more than just advertise a business. It invites us in, telling us what to expect inside. With the right sign, a business we might not otherwise notice becomes a focal point of the community. We see it in passing and stop to look or make a mental note to check it out at a later date. When I moved to Chicago in 2008, I was struck by how many vintage neon signs I saw. They told me that this was a city where local businesses were supported and passed down through generations, becoming anchors of their neighborhoods throughout changing times and trends. And for many signs, they serve as symbols of how immigrant communities have assimilated in America. Sadly, many have disappeared in recent years, which only makes the ones that remain that much more special. This walking tour focuses mainly on the stretch of Broadway in Uptown between Montrose and Winona. One of the North Side’s most diverse neighborhoods, Uptown has undergone many changes since its Jazz Age heyday, when its entertainment district at the corner of Broadway and Lawrence served as an alternative to downtown. Those hotspots and their vintage signs mostly remain (the Uptown Theatre has been shuttered since 1981, but there are plans to restore it to its deserving splendor), and have been bolstered by newer businesses whose signs pay homage to Uptown’s rich history. While this tour is devoted to neon signs, I encourage you to also check out the public art that can be found throughout Uptown, in particular the Clifton Avenue Street Art Gallery. The project was conceived in 2019 and has grown to feature more than 70 murals that can be found steps away from the Red Line tracks. Two of its pieces are included in this tour. While best taken during evening hours to see the neon in full effect, most every stop features a photo or video so you can see what the signs look like when lit at night. Dave Lifton has long had a love of neon signs, but he’s become more interested in exploring their history since his first visit to Las Vegas’ soulful Neon Museum in 2017. You can find him on Instagram at @dslifton.