Neon

15 photos · 2019–2024

15 photographs tagged Neon, 2019–2024.

Third Avenue Bridge crosses the Mississippi River with the Gold Medal Flour sign and downtown Minneapolis skyline illuminated at dusk. — The Third Avenue Bridge crosses the Mississippi River just downstream from Saint Anthony Falls, linking downtown Minneapolis to the university area to the east. Completed in 1918, it's a concrete arch span designed by engineer Kristoffer Olsen Oustad with a slight curve to fit the site's geology. Below it, the Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam helps vessels pass the falls, while the Gold Medal Flour sign, raised above the old Washburn-Crosby mill site in 1908, still marks the skyline behind it.

Illuminated green neon Midtown Exchange sign atop a brick building at night in Minneapolis. — Midtown Exchange is a historic building in the Midtown neighborhood of Minneapolis. Originally constructed as a Sears warehouse, the structure has been redeveloped as a mixed-use facility housing retail, office, and residential spaces. The building's illuminated neon sign has become a recognizable landmark in the area.

Lit up water tower and pillsbury neon sign — The former Pillsbury flour mill near downtown Minneapolis. It's since been renovated into condos.

Treat Yo Self neon sign on Lake Street — A neon sign reading "Treat Yo Self" illuminates a retail space on Lake Street in Minneapolis. The sign is mounted on a wall covered in artificial pink flowers, creating a vibrant and inviting atmosphere for customers. The surrounding decor, including a hanging rattan chair and shelves stocked with beauty products, suggests the establishment is a boutique or spa. Lake Street is a major commercial corridor in Minneapolis, known for its diverse businesses and cultural significance.

Hum's Liquors neon sign on Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis. — Hum's Liquors on Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis is identified by a large neon sign with the words “FAST SERVICE.” The sign is mounted above the storefront and includes red lettering with a field of small white bulbs. A second neon sign is partially visible along the building edge.

Minneapolis Nail & Spa neon signs advertise nails, facial waxing, and eyelash extension services. — Minneapolis Nail & Spa in Minneapolis is identified by neon window signs for nails, facial waxing, and eyelash extension services. The illuminated signage uses blue, green, red, and yellow lettering across the storefront windows.

Planet Soccer neon sign glows red and green on storefront window at night on Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis. — Planet Soccer is a soccer specialty shop on Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis, selling cleats, jerseys, and gear for local players and clubs. Its window sign pairs a globe with a soccer ball to mark the storefront.

Williams Uptown and Cowboy Slim's on Hennepin and Lagoon in Minneapolis at night. — Cowboy Slim's and Williams Uptown are illuminated at night on the corner of Hennepin Avenue and Lagoon Avenue in Minneapolis's Uptown neighborhood. Cowboy Slim's, a bar and saloon, features prominent neon signage, while Williams Uptown, a food and drink establishment, is lit by its facade. This corner has long served as a commercial and entertainment hub within Uptown, known for its vibrant nightlife. The businesses at this location contribute to the area's reputation as a popular destination for dining and socializing.

Dulono's Pizza sign lit at night in Downtown Minneapolis — Dulono's Pizza, a long-standing establishment in downtown Minneapolis, is illuminated by its distinctive neon signage.

Brit's Pub neon sign on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis advertises Newcastle Brown Ale. — Brit's Pub on Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis is a British-style bar and restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. Its neon signage advertises Newcastle Brown Ale.

Reflected Neon “PARK” Sign on 5th Street, Minneapolis — A bright magenta-and-red “PARK” marquee glows above 5th Street in downtown Minneapolis, its arrow pointing toward one of the city’s long-running parking ramps. The large mirrored surface on the right captures a full duplicate of the sign, emphasizing the heavy neon presence that once defined the downtown entertainment and retail district. Signs like this were installed in the mid-20th century as automobile traffic surged and developers converted older commercial buildings into multi-level garages to serve Nicollet Mall, the Gateway renewal area, and the growing high-rise core. At street level, the rows of construction barrels and lane closures reflect Minneapolis’s ongoing cycle of roadway and transit upgrades — a pattern familiar in this part of the city as utility work, sidewalk rebuilds, and streetcar-era infrastructure get modern replacements. Even with the constant change, the surviving neon parking signs remain some of the most recognizable visual anchors of the nighttime downtown streetscape.

Red neon arch marking the entrance to Kabukichō Ichiban-gai in Shinjuku, Tokyo. — Kabukichō Ichiban-gai marks the main entrance to Kabukichō, Tokyo's largest entertainment and nightlife district, packed into a few blocks of Shinjuku ward. The name comes from a postwar plan to build a kabuki theater on the site; the theater was never constructed, but the name stuck as the area redeveloped through the 1950s into a dense cluster of bars, restaurants, cinemas, and clubs. The arched gateway spanning the street has marked the district's entrance for decades, replaced and updated several times as the neighborhood's signage evolved. Kabukichō sits just northeast of Shinjuku Station, one of the busiest rail hubs in the world, and draws both nightlife crowds and daytime tourists ing its dense signage.

Guacaya Bistreaux Caribbean tapas and cocktail bar neon sign glows blue above the storefront on Washington Avenue in Minneapolis. — Guacaya Bistreaux opened on Washington Avenue North in the Warehouse District in 2022, serving Caribbean-inspired small plates and cocktails. The restaurant's name blends "guacamole" and "caya," a colloquial Caribbean term.

Lit up theater sign in Minneapolis — Lit up sign at the Orpheum Theatre on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. January 2024.

Orpheum Theatre marquee on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis at night. — The Orpheum Theatre on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis in January 2024. The theater is one of the city’s major historic performing arts venues and hosts touring Broadway productions, concerts, and other stage performances.

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