CHUN declared that the signs not only wasted energy but that "their ugliness contributes to the visual deterioration of the neighborhood." The Satire Lounge made the list and complied by turning off its sign along with 26 other businesses. Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods put together a list of 48 signs which were in violation of the Denver sign code. In 1973, a local civic association began a campaign to outlaw flashing and moving signs. It is not known when they stopped moving. The pancakes on the Pete's Kitchen sign were originally animated. Contos also owns the Satire Lounge which is next door to Pete's Kitchen and features another remarkable neon sign. In 1988, the restaurant's new and current owner, Pete Contos, had the "The" on the sign replaced with his own name. By the time the chef panels were added, the text panels below read "The Kitchen." The bottom panel which now reads "Parking" may have been added in 1955 as well. It was most likely the inspiration for the Pete's chef sign. A photo of a sign being constructed for a McDonnell's restaurant in Los Angeles turned up in Gordon Signs' archives. In 1955, the top panels with the chef were added. It is not known if the current text panel sign was installed by Bill's Kitchen or by The Kitchen. By the 1950s, it had been renamed The Kitchen. By the 1940s, the name had been changed to Bill's Kitchen. The restaurant had a simple rectangular sign then. At some point, it became the Open Kitchen. Originally, it was known as Kruse's Restaurant. The restaurant has gone by many names since it first opened around 1936. The Pete's Kitchen chef sign is about ten feet tall. These signs in Winnipeg are also gone now. This sign in Winnipeg was probably from the 1960s. That chain was established in Winnipeg, MB in 1958 and currently has three locations. There are unrelated Original Pancake House locations in Canada. There is another unique Original Pancake House neon sign in Wilmette, IL. The sign is now on display at the Pacific Fisherman Shipyard. In 2018, the restaurant and sign were gone. The chef was made from porcelain enamel panels and the four neon pancakes that hovered above his pan were lit sequentially. The Seattle location's sign was built around 2001 in a vintage style when that location opened. This skeleton window sign must be from then. The Birmingham location opened in the 1980s. This mascot was meant to resemble the chain's original owner, Les Highet, who was known for his big nose and big feet. ![]() The chef character is depicted on other signs and is used for the restaurants' advertising. A similar neon sign existed in Murray, UT. ![]() None of the other locations have signs like this one. However, the tubing was definitely gone by 1980. Patched holes indicate that this sign originally had neon. There was a fire around 1961 and the restaurant had to be rebuilt. ![]() ![]() It is the chain's second oldest location still in operation. At that point, it was replaced with a plastic box sign. That sign was blown off and destroyed in the Columbus Day Storm of 1962. The original location had a wooden rooftop sign with a depiction of a chef's hat. There are now more than 100 locations nationwide. The Original Pancake House chain was established in Portland, OR in 1953. In 2014, the owners, who also operate the Steak Pit, decided to move this sign there. The restaurant closed around 2012 and the space remained vacant. The neon was lit every morning from around 4 am until noon. The photos and links at this page are meant to accompany an article that I wrote for the Society for Commercial Archeology's Journal magazine. (hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page click on photos for larger images)
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