Here’s a grand old awning sign on East 149th Street west of Prospect Avenue that’s two ancient signs in one, and three if you count the vertical sign. I’d say the neon RETAIL LIQUOR sign is the older, while the LIQUOR spelled out in black plastic letters on a beige background is newer, though not by much.
Old liquor store facades have long lives; usually, the only word is LIQUOR and one sign in neon or raised plastic does the trick for decades. There’s a picture book somewhere in all of NYC’s old liquor store signs, though I have no idea who would publish it.
10/3/14