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A true Milwaukee original! This vintage outdoor bar sign once hung above Century Hall, a former East-Side drinking establishment and Milwaukee landmark. Destroyed in a fire 20 years ago on April 24, 1988, Century Hall was once home to bands like Husker Du, The Cramps, Fishbone, and Dead Milkmen (and reggae acts like Freddie McGregor and Michigan & Smiley). Comedian Will Durst includes a bartending gig at Century Hall among his list of "108 Jobs" held (so far) in his lifetime. OK, so back to the sign ... this is a real one-of-a-kind collector's item. Measuring approx. 50" x 36" (and about 6" deep), this large sign is double-sided and features the words "BLATZ BEER / Milwaukee's Finest / Century Hall" on both front and back. It weighs roughly 100 lbs. and is constructed with a very heavy-duty metal frame, enclosing a semi-opaque white plastic protruding on each side to form the sign. The letters "BLATZ BEER" are 3-D in fire-engine red, appearing raised off each side. Overall this piece is in very good condition ... but as you can see from the photos, the "back" side has a piece of plastic missing and is cracked. The front, though, has no damage and looks very good! Not much rust on the frame, either, so again: overall, in really good shape. Purchased in 1997 from a local architectural artifacts-type of store in the Milwaukee area (can't recall the name, but it went out of business years ago). So while we cannot account for the 'lost years' between the fire in '88 and when we bought it in '97, it's been in good hands ever since. The sign seems to have its original wiring with power cord/plug but requires a higher voltage than standard indoor outlets. It even still has an old fluorescent tube light bulb inside the case. Have never tried to connect it to a proper power source so can only vouch for it as a decorative item. (Well, OK, true confession ... when we first got it I stupidly tried to plug it into a wall outlet and blew a fuse, so it had some juice then! But don't know if the electrical still works today.) For many years, we had this sign in our living room/dining room prominently displayed on top of the radiator, with the damaged side facing the wall. I inserted a light fixture (like a clamp-on lamp) through the hole and voila! Turned it into a huge, lit bar sign. It looked great, and was always a real conversation piece. Would love to see this Century Hall sign placed with a new loving owner, someone who will appreciate it for the slice of Milwaukee history it represents. Please make your bid! The one deal-breaker with this sale is that, due to the weight of this oversized piece, shipping is not possible so the buyer must arrange for local pickup. We live in Milwaukee and will be happy to coordinate details with the lucky winner. Also would recommend 2-3 people to lift and transport the sign as it is quite heavy.

Just a small correction -- the sign is actually about 10" deep, not 6" (the center supporting metal frame is about 6" but the plastic sign juts out about 2" more on each side). Thanks!

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