Well, well, well...another year gone by, another sign swiped from the history books. This time, it's a scenario we’re all too familiar with: money fueled by the ever changing attitude towards keeping something that was once pure and good - around. Tapping into that sign that has brought you happiness over the years can ultimately help drive future generations to appreciate these handcrafted beauties of glass and metal. Did you know you can restore a neon sign, move the sign inside the business, or donate the sign to the closest neon sign museum that can keep it on public display? If talking about how great a sign once was has started to wear off and you’ve been tempted to take action, it might be time to think about trying some creative new tactics that will help you find a way to save a neon sign. Read on for three clever ways you can save a neon sign than you might’ve thought possible.

1. Document

Searches for neon signs are up almost 300 percent on Google as folks are looking for neon-inspo. How it works: You start with a neon sign and develop a treatment plan. City offices, funding agencies or historical societies love these outlines because you can save them a lot of time by simply taking a photo, showing the level of elevation of the sign, and the buildings current status. Not convinced? Consider starting with the age, construction, and materials - then following that up with the number of transformers will net you a list of materials that can then be quantified. It’ll explain the most they’ll ever need to save the sign in some capacity.

2. Host Your Own Challenge

Create and host your own “save the neon sign” challenge. Group boards and private Facebook pages are an excellent way to harness all kinds of good vibes from friends and family who have similar sign-saving interests. If you can’t find a community that excites you, why not create one? You can share pictures of signs at risk for removal, announce a crowdfunding campaign for a particular neon sign, such as with Kickstarter, and gather articles from the past to form a powerful narrative.

3. Discover New Sign-Saving Ideas

The internet has so many creative ideas for saving signs. Local city planning and small business agencies can help assist with the restoration of neon signs. Tap into the National Park Service, Secretary of Interior’s Standards (Standards) for direction. The 1991 Preservation Brief No. 25 deals with the specifics of historic signs and best practices and will give you information on the types of regulations that may or may not exist.

If all of this seems overwhelming, get resource savvy - contact a sign preservationist. Here are just a few recommendations that may be able to provide more information, research support, and general advice.

American Sign Museum, Cincinnati, OH
Museum of Neon Art (MONA), Glendale, CA
Ignite Sign Art Museum, Tucson, AZ

Have a neon sign you want saved? Share your pick and tweet us @MondoNeon.