by matt » Wed Mar 09, 2022 8:45 am
The Neon Palms
By John Lorinc
A glowing fixture of Spadina Avenue's west side, the neon palms of the El Mocambo have long adorned a landmark Toronto music venue that has attracted acts ranging from local indie bands to the Rolling Stones. Yet the marquee itself dates back to the late 1940s, when the Elmo was better known as a ballroom dance club featuring Latin and swing bands.
The present-day palms, however, are a facsimile, although a very well executed set. In 2015, investor and former Dragon’s Den star Michael Wekerle bought the club for $4 million, with ambitious plans to transform it into a high-tech venue with a rock 'n roll museum vibe.
Even though he was gutting the inside, Wekerle wanted to salvage the original palms, which, at one point, had been put up for sale on eBay for just $6,000. But after sending the 2,300-kg structure to Pride Signs, a large Cambridge, Ont., firm, in early 2016, Wekerle learned they simply couldn't be saved.
“When we looked inside,” said Pride’s vice-president of engineering Mark Hawley, “there was so much rust we couldn’t have welded or screwed in [bolts].” It contained seven decades of detritus, included tangles of corroding wire and several birds’ nests. Hawley felt it was unlikely building officials would have allowed it to be re-installed. Wekerle, for his part, described the decision to halt plans for the restoration as “very emotional.”
He quickly pivoted, however, deciding to invest about $43,000 on a replica, made by Pride, with pride. In terms of size and layout, the replacement is an identical copy. Yet instead of steel, the new version was built from lighter, rust-proof aluminum components that could be disassembled for easy maintenance. “It will last forever,” said Pride's president Brad Hillis.
In place of the old sign’s hand-painted detailing, such as the bark on the trunk and the grass around its base, the new one sports a heavy-duty vinyl background made with a digital printer. And rather than incandescent bulbs, Pride installed LEDs, which have become standard issue on commercial signs since the technology has evolved to allow for warmer light and better colours.
However, the new neon elements — for the lettering, the coconuts and the quarter-moon that shines down on the whole vista — are the real thing, the handiwork of one of Pride's veterans.
While neon signs once represented a booming business for the company, Hillis said the market almost completely dried up by the early 2010s. Neon signs are difficult and dangerous to make, draw huge amounts of power, and are prone to catching fire. The latest LED products can produce an almost identical effect, visually, at far less cost and specialized labour.
Yet growing public interest in vintage signs rekindled demand for old-school neon; among Pride’s other high-profile projects was the marquee for the Paradise Theatre on Bloor West. As Hillis said: “I knew neon would cycle back at some point.” Just like the good ol' El Mocambo.
From interview w/ Dizzy Minott:
- worked on the original restoration in 2009
- the original sign currently flanks each side of the stage on the interior
The Neon Palms
By John Lorinc
A glowing fixture of Spadina Avenue's west side, the neon palms of the El Mocambo have long adorned a landmark Toronto music venue that has attracted acts ranging from local indie bands to the Rolling Stones. Yet the marquee itself dates back to the late 1940s, when the Elmo was better known as a ballroom dance club featuring Latin and swing bands.
The present-day palms, however, are a facsimile, although a very well executed set. In 2015, investor and former Dragon’s Den star Michael Wekerle bought the club for $4 million, with ambitious plans to transform it into a high-tech venue with a rock 'n roll museum vibe.
Even though he was gutting the inside, Wekerle wanted to salvage the original palms, which, at one point, had been put up for sale on eBay for just $6,000. But after sending the 2,300-kg structure to Pride Signs, a large Cambridge, Ont., firm, in early 2016, Wekerle learned they simply couldn't be saved.
“When we looked inside,” said Pride’s vice-president of engineering Mark Hawley, “there was so much rust we couldn’t have welded or screwed in [bolts].” It contained seven decades of detritus, included tangles of corroding wire and several birds’ nests. Hawley felt it was unlikely building officials would have allowed it to be re-installed. Wekerle, for his part, described the decision to halt plans for the restoration as “very emotional.”
He quickly pivoted, however, deciding to invest about $43,000 on a replica, made by Pride, with pride. In terms of size and layout, the replacement is an identical copy. Yet instead of steel, the new version was built from lighter, rust-proof aluminum components that could be disassembled for easy maintenance. “It will last forever,” said Pride's president Brad Hillis.
In place of the old sign’s hand-painted detailing, such as the bark on the trunk and the grass around its base, the new one sports a heavy-duty vinyl background made with a digital printer. And rather than incandescent bulbs, Pride installed LEDs, which have become standard issue on commercial signs since the technology has evolved to allow for warmer light and better colours.
However, the new neon elements — for the lettering, the coconuts and the quarter-moon that shines down on the whole vista — are the real thing, the handiwork of one of Pride's veterans.
While neon signs once represented a booming business for the company, Hillis said the market almost completely dried up by the early 2010s. Neon signs are difficult and dangerous to make, draw huge amounts of power, and are prone to catching fire. The latest LED products can produce an almost identical effect, visually, at far less cost and specialized labour.
Yet growing public interest in vintage signs rekindled demand for old-school neon; among Pride’s other high-profile projects was the marquee for the Paradise Theatre on Bloor West. As Hillis said: “I knew neon would cycle back at some point.” Just like the good ol' El Mocambo.
From interview w/ Dizzy Minott:
- worked on the original restoration in 2009
- the original sign currently flanks each side of the stage on the interior