SEATTLE — According to www.king5.com, the pink Elephant Car Wash sign was a glowing, Seattle landmark from 1956 until the carwash sporting it closed down in 2020.
Amazon offered to lead a refurbishment effort for the sign, which will ultimately return it to its original location at the corner of Seventh and Blanchard St.
Amazon employed Western Neon to protect and restore both Elephant Car Wash signs that stood at the location, the larger of which will then move to the Museum of History and Industry.
Patrick Miller, Amazon’s director of global real estate and facilities for the Puget Sound, noted it was an easy decision for his team to make, saying, “I got a text [when news broke about the carwash closing] and immediately thought of my son and how much he loves the sign. The whole team agreed that we had to find a place for it, we had to do it,” Miller said.
The restoration at Western Neon is underway; the original shell is being treated with new glass, electrical and more.
The paint, however, will remain in its original, weathered condition thanks to a clear-coat from Puget Sound Coatings.
Western Neon wanted to preserve both the age and history of the sign.
Dylan Neuwirth, creative director at Western Neon, “Neon has the ability to be both futuristic and nostalgic at the same time and not much else is like that.”
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