Old Signage

Unfinished History

As San Francisco undergoes endless gentrification and explosive growth of new office towers and business parks, occasionally the deconstruction process that removes old buildings reveals glimpses of fading signs of yesteryear. Here are a few snapshots taken during the early 21st century, ghosts of 20th century businesses long gone.

Old-chevrolet-signage-with-1939-graffiti 20231205 222811048.jpg

Old Chevrolet sign with 1939 light-bulb graffiti at right hand side. Wall of old car dealership on Valencia south of Cesar Chavez.

Chevrolet-six-old-sign-w-1939-graffiti 20240128 215622363.jpg

Photos:Chris Carlsson, 2023.

Old-tool-and-die-signage-2007 0914.jpg

Tool and Die business on brick wall near First Street and Howard.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2007

Old-steam-shovel-sign-2007 0913.jpg

Steam Shovel services on this downtown wall.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2007

Market-andf-franklin-carnation-mush-Dec-2013 0129.jpg

Carnation Mush ad on Market near Franklin.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2013

Carnation-mush 0131.jpg

Sf-tool-co-inc 7520.jpg

Shoe Findings at SF Tool Co., Inc., Folsom Street north of 24th Street.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2007

Shoe-Leather-Findings Folsom-near-24th 7521.jpg

Brannan-and-7th-old-sign 20150427 120929.jpg

Brannan and 7th Streets.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2015

Vulcan-Cleanser 2008 0218.jpg

Vulcan Cleanser ad, covered in part by new graffiiti, Mission District.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2008

Old-sign-on-bryant-building 20200417 173627.jpg

Cleaning-and-dyeing-old-sign-on-Bryant-near-25th 20200417 173622.jpg

Old Cleaning and Dyeing sign on York Street near 25th.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2017

Hasta-be-shasta 20200619 163942.jpg

"It Hasta Be Shasta" was ubiquitous in the 1960s and 1970s for the old sodapop brand, seen here in 2020 before disappearing behind new construction replacing a gas station at 17th and Potrero Avenue.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2020

Piemonte-grocery-composite834.jpg

On York and 22nd, the Acme Beer sign is disappearing now (2020) under the tree's foliage, and the Piemonte grocery was painted out years ago.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2010

Par-t-pak-cola-sign 20200724 121848.jpg

These commercial advertisements reappeared as the building at Fillmore and Hermann underwent a full rehabilitation in 2020.

Photo: Chris Carlsson

Barish-bailbonds-sign 20200824 105133.jpg

Old Barish Bail Bonds sign on Bartlett Street between 21st and 22nd Streets, left over from the days when the Mission Police Station was nearby on Valencia.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2020

Old-sign-Johnsons-Pound-Cake 3661.jpg

Johnsons-pound-cake-original-site 3662.jpg

In the Mission.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2014

Pacific-Felt-Co-sign-2000 max-kirkeberg-collection.jpg

Pacific Felt Co. sign, 19th Street and Florida, 2000.

Photo: Max Kirkeberg Collection, diva.sfsu.edu

St-Martin-Printers-old-sign-Ecker-and-1st 20190707 181630.jpg

Old printer signs on revealed brick wall near 1st and Mission, July 2019.

Photo: Chris Carlsson

Flagmakers-old-sign 20210823 000341124.jpg

Flagmakers just east of the new SF MOMA wing, under the old PT&T tower built in the 1920s.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2021

Oakland-bakery-old-sign 20210921 201626099.jpg

Sign for Oakland Bakery on Broadway in Oakland.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2021

Old-scaffolding-sign-1st-street 20230211 195617676.MP.jpg

Old scaffolding advertisement, First Street near Mission.

Photo: Chris Carlsson, 2023