Restoring the Classic Mayfair Theatre Neon Sign
While people come to us to create new and innovative signs for their businesses, we also have the ability to fully restore old classic neon signs. These signs have an amazing history, and many are iconic landmarks that may have been preserved long after the buildings they were originally designed or have demolished or renovated.
Dave’s Signs was approached by the Seabee Museum to restore one of these classic signs. It is the original marquee and sign from the Mayfair Movie Theater. After a fire in 2004, the building itself was torn down, but the sign was kept with the idea of one day being able to bring it back to life.
The Process
The sign itself was stored in an old lot in Ventura from the time of the fire until we got involved. The structure of the sign was still in good condition, but the metal on the front and back of the sign had to be removed and replaced, which we were able to recreate the original shape.
This sign, if you haven’t seen it, is a classic semi-circle shape. To be able to be displayed in the museum it was critical that maintained the integrity of the sign and did the restoration work without changing the elements of the design.
Once the sign was at our facility, we were able to get started. The old metal and design elements were removed, and the new metal put over the existing structural frame. This included extending above the marquee section of the sign to the ornate top component of the sign with the floral designs and the M from the Mayfair brand.
The Colors
The metal was carefully painted to the original green and gold colors, and then we added the neon lights to outline the design. The attention to detail included researching the original sign and matching all elements, giving it a very retro look but with all the modern technology and materials at our disposal.
Finally, we added the neon components to the sign. This included neon green around the base of the marquee and to the top of the marquee, just like the original.
The top or the central elevated design above the marquee featured a deep yellow background with the yellow-gold outlines to draw attention to the design. Additional neon vertical lights underneath the center of the M and on the quarter circle mark on either side of the sign.
Today, you can see the complete restored Mayfair Theater marquee sign at the Seabee Museum in Port Hueneme. We also designed and installed the brakes for the custom mount of the sign, ensuring it would safely displayed for all to enjoy its classic splendor.
If you have a historic neon sign that needs restoration contact us at (805) 641-1387 and tell us about your project.
