All Signs Lead Here [Sign Bar Austin]

Iconic Landmarks in a Playful Tribute

Words by Abby L. Johnson | Photos by Baptiste Despois

While some may see a sign without its signifier as defunct, Max Moreland has long seen the inherent nostalgic value in the neon letters and larger-than-life figures of the city’s landscape.

From a distance, The Sign Bar, an elaborate new themed bar in East Austin, may seem like an Instagram trap. The place is showy and just a little bit kitschy with its elaborate fabrications and over-the-top lights. A prop wall displaying a scene out of an old western frames one side of the old salvage-yard-turned-bar, while another border is lined with immersive installations (inside shipping containers) that miniaturize old Austin staples, like I Heart Video. It’s a strange, but exciting, land.

Alongside business partner Matt Luckie, co-owner Max Moreland began collecting unused restaurant and bar signs from all over the city while keeping a loose concept of what would be actualized 10 years later. When the right property presented itself, Max decided it was time to start building the homage of his dreams. He points out that while some of the monuments on the property once belonged to now-shuttered businesses, most come from owners who didn’t want to move their sign when they relocated, and others are on loan from their owners. “[The Sign Bar] is not a graveyard; it’s a museum,” he notes.

After grabbing a drink inside, patrons are compelled to step outside and explore the main attractions. It’s an open-air funhouse marked by a familiar gargantuan genie, a certain big boy, and other recognizable figures offering a knowing wink to Austinites. Out of context, these familiar sights create a surreal sense of placelessness contrasted with hyper-specific moments in time. A sign that dotted a morning commute for over a decade or the façade that marked a once-frequented neighborhood bar will jump out from the mosaic of nostalgia and grab the eye, plunging patrons into memories of yesteryears.

The art on display here spurs unexpected conversations between loved ones and new friends alike, much like it would in a traditional museum. And for those newer to the city or lacking a history with a particular sign, Max hopes to pass on a piece of local knowledge using QR codes at different signs scattered throughout that share a brief history of the represented establishment.

Many patrons arrive with a story about their favorite sign, waiting for the right moment to thrust a practiced anecdote into the conversation. For Max, his sign of choice is nothing flashy. “For me personally, my favorite sign is the Lavaca Street Bar sign. It’s not a great sign, but it’s where I met my wife. When I first moved to Austin, it was my haunt. She was a bartender there, and I was an annoying customer,” he grins. More than lamenting a past era, it’s these kinds of personal moments Max hopes The Sign Bar will preserve for the community while recalling the good ol’ days.

A-maze-ing
What’s a bar without a good old-fashioned maze? The Sign Bar features a real maze that patrons can wander through as they sip on any of their specialty frozen cocktails.

Contact:
9909 FM 969, Bldg. 3
signbartexas.com
@signbaraustin