A ghost sign is an old hand-painted advertising sign that has been left untouched on a building or billboard for an extended time. These signs are usually uncovered when a neighboring building is demolished, exposing the sign.
Captions contain all the information available. The location in the caption is from the location of the sign, not the business the sign is advertising, unless the sign is on that business' building.
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| Ghost sign: 7●UP 1747 E 75th |
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| Ghost sign: 7●UP 624 W. Ashland |
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| Ghost sign: 7●UP 6922 Stony Island |
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| Ghost sign: 7●UP Lawrence at Tripp |
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| Ghost sign from 1946 for Monarch Beer Co., located at 1090-1118 West 21st Street, Chicago |
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| Ghost sign: STP, The Racers Edge, 13th, and Wabash |
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| Ghost sign: 230 East Cermak Ford, Indiana and Cermak |
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| Ghost sign: 523 Plymouth |
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| Ghost sign: the 900 block of West Cullerton |
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| Ghost sign: 1100 block of W 18th St |
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| Ghost sign: 1200 block of Grand Ave |
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| Ghost sign: ABC Anderson Bros Fire Proof Storage Damen and Lincoln Aves |
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| Ghost sign: Champion Spark Plugs 4100 block of W Roosevelt Rd |
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| Ghost sign: 4100 block of W Roosevelt Rd |
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| Ghost sign: Flash Auto Parts 5000 W Lake St |
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| Ghost sign: Coca-Cola 5438 N Clark |
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| Ghost sign: A & P Harlem and Higgins |
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| Ghost sign: A Moving Co 4700 N Western Ave |
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| Ghost sign: ABC Anderson Bros |
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| Ghost sign: Ability Adco |
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| Ghost sign: Advertise Here Fulton Market North of Morgan |
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| Ghost sign: Ajax Auto and Tire Supply, North Ave at Kedvale |
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| Ghost sign: Alliance National Bank, 808 N Oakley |
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| Ghost sign: American Family Insurance, 1880 N Hoyne |
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| Ghost sign: Amys Motel Dukes Show Lounge, 119 E 79th |
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| Ghost sign: ABC - Anderson Bros Fire Proof Storage, Damen & Lincoln Aves. |
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| Ghost sign: Antique Mart, 1000 S Michigan |
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| Ghost sign: Apex Batteries |
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| Ghost sign: Apples Sport Bar, Lake St West of Canal St |
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| Ghost sign: Ashland Brewery, 674 W Ashland |
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| Ghost sign: Atalanta Ham on Touhy at Rockwell (Old Kohl's Grocery Store Billboard in the parking lot). |
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| Ghost sign: Atlantic Bank Building, 168 N Michigan Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Atlas Prager, 6141 S State |
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| Ghost sign: B and B Ceramics, 3393 S Archer |
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| Ghost sign: Bachia Bootery, 1741 W Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Bank of Ravenswood, Rogers Park Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: Beer |
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| Ghost sign: Bell Bread, 4814 W Augusta |
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| Ghost sign: Best Polish Sausage in the World - Pilsen Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: Billard Hall on Milwaukee Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Billiard Parlor, Fullerton and Southport |
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| Ghost sign: Binks Manufacturing Company on Carroll East of Kedzie |
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| Ghost sign: Borden Dairy Evaporated Milk on Milwaukee Ave South of Lawrence Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Boss Hand Car Wash, 25 S Western Ave |
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| Ghost sign: The Boston Store |
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| Ghost sign: Bowmanville National Bank, Devon Ave and Western Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Bressler Ice Cream, 4010 W Belden |
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| Ghost sign: Bright Metals Finishing in the Hermosa Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: Bryn Mawr Theatre |
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| Ghost sign: Burhop Paper Co 1071 N Division |
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| Ghost sign: Calumet Baking Powder, 7339 S Halsted St |
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| Ghost sign: Canfield Portside Lounge, 9035 S Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Canfields Beverages & Nate's Drive-In; 1065 W Taylor St |
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| Ghost sign: Canfields Soda 1736 E 79th St |
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| Ghost sign: Canfields Soda 347 E 79th St |
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| Ghost sign: Canton Hand Laundry |
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| Ghost sign: Cappas Brothers Liquors and Tavern, Archer and Western |
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| Ghost sign: Carbit Paint Shipping and Lab |
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| Ghost sign: Cartage Contractor Boarding Stable, 1315 S Fulton Market |
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| Ghost sign: Cedar Hotel |
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| Ghost sign: Ceresota Flour, 1515 W Devon Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Champion Spark Plugs 708 N Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Champion Spark Plugs 2002 W 18th St |
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| Ghost sign: Champion Spark Plugs 2417 S Wabash Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Champion Spark Plugs 5627 W Irving Park Road |
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| Ghost sign: Champion Spark Plugs 5914 N Milwaukee Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Champion Spark Plugs 8623 S Vincennes Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Chevrolet, Indiana Ave and Cermak Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Chicago Motor Club in Uptown |
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| Ghost sign: Chicago Tanning Co, Bucktown Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: Chicago Theater Entrance |
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| Ghost sign: Christensen & Olsen Foundry Co., 218 N Racine Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Cigars 1428 S Kedzie Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Cleaners Drive Up Window, 1138 W Taylor St |
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| Ghost sign: Cobey True Value Hardware, Logan Square Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: Coke Cola 7949 S Racine Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Continental Window and Glass on North West Side |
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| Ghost sign: Corner Grocery on S Carpenter and 83rd St |
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| Ghost sign: Cream of Kentucky Whiskey 1643 N Milwaukee |
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| Ghost sign: Cuban, 6638 S Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Daily News 105x N Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Daily News 1927 N Halsted St |
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| Ghost sign: Daily News 2314 S Leavitt St |
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| Ghost sign: Daily News, 3145 South May |
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| Ghost sign: Daily News, 3329 S Aberdeen |
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| Ghost sign: Daily News |
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| David Storage |
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| David Storage |
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| Ghost sign: Delivery Wagons |
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| Ghost sign: Diversey Inn, 2854 W Diversey St |
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| Ghost sign: Double Bubble & Michelob on Tap, 6036 N Broadway |
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| Ghost sign: Douglas Coal Co on Archer Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Dr Pepper Original, 75th St and Jeffery Blvd |
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| Ghost sign: Drewrys Beer 3507 N Cicero Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Drewry's Beer 4200 block of W Roosevelt Rd |
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| Ghost sign: Drugs–Drink Coca-Cola–Cigars at 1363 W Shiller St |
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| Ghost sign: DW Bostel |
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| Ghost sign: Edelweiss Beer, 5508 W Fullerton Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Ednas Restaurant 19 S Kedzie Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Edward Hines Lumber Company on Clark St |
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| Ghost sign: Elliots Paint |
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| Ghost sign: For Your Pleasure |
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| Ghost sign: Foremost Liquor Stores |
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| Ghost sign: Foremost Liquors on Broadway |
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| Ghost sign: Fox Deluxe Beer 1056 N Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Fox Deluxe Beer 1629 N Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Fox Deluxe Beer 3144 W Fulton St |
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| Ghost sign: Fox Deluxe Beer 4457 N Kedzie Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Fox Deluxe Beer 5038 Archer Ave |
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| Ghost sign: G and Z Reataurant and Bar, 235 N Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Gast Monument on Clark St |
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| Ghost sign: General Furniture Co, 5927 W Chicago Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Glenway Restaurant & Old Style Beer, Edgewater Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: Godfather Video on Pulaski and Van Buren St |
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| Ghost sign: Gold Dust Wash Powder, Irving Park Road and Wolcott Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Gold Medal Flour, 1015 N Noble St |
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| Ghost sign: Gold Medal Flour, 1901 N Bissell St |
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| Ghost sign: Gold Medal Flour, 1917 W Armitage Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Gold Medal Flour, 7341 S Halsted St |
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| Ghost sign: Good Food, 1201 W 71st St |
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| Ghost sign: Gossard Corsets, 1006 S Michigan Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Great City Living |
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| Ghost sign: Grocery Market, 7157 S Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Gösser Beer imported from Austria |
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| Ghost sign: HC Gasoline on Chicago Ave near Leavitt St |
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| Ghost sign: Heating Company |
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| Ghost sign: Hobbies Magazine, 1006 S Michigan Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Hotel Cedar |
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| Ghost sign: Hotel Somerset |
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| Ghost sign: Howaniec Furniture |
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| Ghost sign: Inter Seal Company |
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| Ghost sign: Iron Fireman |
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| Ghost sign: Jimmy Smith Budweiser, 6251 S Western Ave |
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| Ghost sign: John Fass and Son Grocery and Market, 2101 N Kenmore Ave |
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| Ghost sign: John Marshall Law School, State St and Van Buren St |
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| Ghost sign: Keysters on N Pulaski and Berteau |
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| Ghost sign: Kimbell Trust and Savings Bank, Armitage Ave Logan Square |
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| Ghost sign: Kimbell Trust and Savings Bank, Diversey Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Kimbell Trust and Savings Bank, W Fullerton Avenue |
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| Ghost sign: Kopicki Funeral Home, 1701 W 21st St |
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| Ghost sign: Koppers Coke, 9021 S Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Koppers Coke, Belmont Ave near Harlem Avenue. |
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| Ghost sign: L. Fish Furniture, Madison St and Karlov Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Lang Ice Company 3600 W 59th St |
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| Ghost sign: Lerose Coal Co. |
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| Ghost sign: Lincoln Park Federal Savings |
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| Ghost sign: Liquor Wicker, Park Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: Lou's Sandwich Shop on Western Ave and Addison St |
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| Ghost sign: Lyon and Healy Music Store Adams and Wabash |
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| Ghost sign: Maher, 6572 N Sheridan |
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| Ghost sign: Mann Draperies and Interiors, Grandville 'L' Station |
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| Ghost sign: Marigold Margarine on Lincoln Ave and Lawrence. Thomas Cusack Co. |
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| Ghost sign: Marlboro |
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| Ghost sign: Meister Bräu Lite, 3636 S Western Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Merit Truck Parts & Wheel Co., 1638 S Wabash Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Midas Muffler, 6040 N Broadway |
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| Ghost sign: Mourad Cleaners |
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| Ghost sign: Nabisco Uneeda Biscuits, Jackson Blvd and Wells Street |
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| Ghost sign: National Survey Service |
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| Ghost sign: Gadzooke, North Broadway and Bryn Mawr |
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| Ghost sign: North Oak Furniture |
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| Ghost sign: North Side Cleaners on Broadway |
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| Ghost sign: O'Hanley Undertaker, 6535 S Cottage Grove |
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| Ghost sign: Old Style Beer 1401 W Devon Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Old Vienna |
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| Ghost sign: Overalls Shirts Pants |
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| Ghost sign: Pago Pago |
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| Ghost sign: Pawlansky Brothers Meat Market, 1235 N Damen |
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| Ghost sign: Peck and Hills Furniture Co., 1000 N Ogden |
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| Ghost sign: Peer, 46th St |
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| Ghost sign: Pepsi |
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| Ghost sign: Pillsbury on Southport Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Prescription at Montrose and Pulaski |
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| Ghost sign: Rent A Car |
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| Ghost sign: Rival Dog Food California Ave and Granville St |
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| Ghost sign: R.J. Rous Inc Wholesale Milk and Cream |
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| Ghost sign: S & H Green Stamps, Ingleside and 75th St |
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| Ghost sign: Sakrete Ready to Use |
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| Ghost sign: Schlitz Beer, 2645 W 79th Street |
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| Ghost sign: Schlitz Beer, in Wicker Park |
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| Ghost sign: Schulzes Butter-Nut Bread 18th and Damen |
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| Ghost sign: Seipp Conrad Brewing Co,. 89th and Commercial Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Simmons Hide-A-Bed on N Ashland Ave |
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| Ghost sign: St Adalbert Hall Bingo Wednesday Nites, 1641 W 16th St |
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| Ghost sign: Stanley Bafia Funeral Home, 200x W 18th St |
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| Ghost sign: Studebaker |
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| Ghost sign: Sunny Brook Whiskey, Ogden Avenue at St Louis |
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| Ghost sign: Swap O Rama Flea Market |
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| Ghost sign: Swap O Rama Flea Market |
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| Ghost sign: Taqueria El Milagro, 26th St and Albany St |
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| Ghost sign: The Decorators Showroom |
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| Ghost sign: The Fair, Logan Square Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: The Old Fashioned Neighborhood Bank, N Clark St and North Ave |
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| Ghost sign: The Rogers Park at Pratt Blvd and Sheridan Rd |
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| Ghost sign: The Sunday Tribune on Chicago Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Three Sisters, Roseland Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: Tobacco the Old Standard, 33xx N Clark St |
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| Ghost sign: Toots Ice Cream and Hot Dogs on Central Ave and Addison St |
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| Ghost sign: Travel and Tours, Edison Park Neighborhood |
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| Ghost sign: Universal Auto Parts, 2703 S Loomis St |
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| Ghost sign: Unknown in Logan Square |
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| Ghost sign: Unknown |
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| Ghost sign: Unknown |
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| Ghost sign: Unknown |
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| Ghost sign: Vulcanizing, Logan Square |
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| Ghost sign: Waste Marketing, 9441 S Ewing Ave |
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| Ghost sign: West City Savings Bank, Belmont, and Central Ave |
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| Ghost sign: Westmont Engineering Co., 4244 W Lake St |
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| Ghost sign: Yellow Cabs |
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| Ghost sign: Royal Messenger, 3517 S Indiana |
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| Ghost sign: Mexican Inn, 95th & Ewing, sign on the back of the restaurant. |
Very good article coming from chgo SOME of the signs I remember I really enjoyed the article
ReplyDeleteGreat documentation! Koodos!!
ReplyDeleteYou can tell if the wall had a northern exposure, as it would last the longest.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize there were so many!
ReplyDeleteThe Bootery sign on Chicago Av. should be "Bachta Bootery" . The Bachta family sold insurance and provided legal services upstairs and sold shoes downstairs
ReplyDelete