Petschen’s Southview Liquor (St. Paul, MN) – This liquor store has changed ownership just twice during its long history. The original owner purchased this building in 1968 from a family who was moving their garden and landscape business to an adjacent lot. He turned it into a liquor store which he ran successfully for 15 years. In 1983, he sold it to another man who carried the torch until 1996… that’s when the current owner (Jerry Petschen) acquired the business. I spoke with Mr. Petschen about this gorgeous sign (which we both assume was from the late 1960s given the ownership timeline) and he was able to shed a little light on its history. As it currently sits, you really have to know where to look in order to see it. It faces perpendicular to the street, staring at a brick wall about 30 feet away. As the story goes, the sign originally faced the street (as you’d expect) but when a large shopping center opened up just to the south of them they repositioned it to face this new heavily trafficked parking lot. Then just a few years ago, a tire store was built between the two, effectively blocking the sign from everyone’s view. The sign was never moved back to its original front-facing position and has since gone unused. In fact, Mr. Petschen is not even sure if it still works. Such a shame that it’s not out in full view for passersby to enjoy.
LOCATION:
- Liquor Stores
- Neon Signs
- Vintage Signs
