Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Some faded ad glory reappears above the Mercury Lounge

Typically, the wall atop the Mercury Lounge building on Houston near Essex features an ad for something like this...



In the last week or so, the building's former occupant was revealed...




The Mercury Lounge opened in 1993. Prior to that, Shastone Monuments -- part of Houston's once-thriving gravestone industry -- called this space home for nearly 60 years. You can read more about Shastone here at Mr. Beller's Neighborhood.

GammaBlog has a great angle on the ad here.

4 comments:

l.e.s.ter said...

The identical sign was also on the other side of the building, now obscured by the residential tower. I'd forgotten what it looked like. At least Silver Monument Works is still around...

Bowery Boogie said...

maybe the strokes will write a song about it.

EV Grieve said...

Ha...think it sounds more like something for Julian's next solo record...

Barbara L. Hanson said...

Boy, does that take me back.