The City of Mesa will be opening a new vibrant outdoor downtown community space celebrating the City's rich and bright history. The Neon Garden, located behind The Post at 26 N. Macdonald, features restored neon signs from Mesa businesses dating from the 1940s to 1970s. The public is invited to the official lighting of the neon signs on Thursday, May 15 at 7 p.m.
"The Neon Garden is a great step to elevate downtown Mesa. I have a personal connection with each of these signs; they reflect the spirit of our city" said Mayor Mark Freeman "This space will help us remember where we came from and will create new memories for future generations."
The Neon Garden will open with six restored neon signs:
- Bill Johnsons Big Apple The western-themed restaurant sign stood at 950 E. Main St. from 1977 until 2018, four years after the restaurant closed. The sign was donated to the Mesa Preservation Foundation and is an homage to the legacy of Big Apple restaurants created by Bill and Gene Johnson
- Watson's Flowers The 30-foot neon sign, created by legendary local sign maker Paul Millet, stood at the West Main Street flower shop from the late 1950s until it collapsed during a 2014 windstorm. It was stored flat for five years until the owners of Watson's donated it to the Mesa Preservation Foundation in 2019
- Dairy Queen The iconic porcelain enamel neon sign, which includes an ice cream cone, was installed atop the building when it opened at 629 E. Main St. in 1949,. It operated in its full glory until the Dairy Queen closed in 2018 to make way for a redevelopment project. The sign was saved by the City of Mesa and the Mesa Preservation Foundation
- Smiley Ford The neon Ford sign was likely installed around 1960 when Smiley-Berge Motors, originally Smiley Motors, moved to 256 E. Main St. After R.C. Smiley retired in 1965, the dealership was renamed to Berge Ford
- Frontier Motel The neon sign likely dates to the opening of the Frontier Motel at 1307 E. Main St. during the 1950s. By that decade, there were more than 60 motels along Main Street in Mesa. The Frontier was typical of that era with its "U"-shaped layout with parking in the center. The neon sign went through several paint schemes over the years
- Diving Lady Replica The original iconic 60-foot sign was erected in 1960 to promote a new swimming pool at the Starlite Motel at 2710 E. Main St. A Powerful microburst in October 2010 destroyed the sign. The Mesa Preservation Foundation began a fundraising campaign to rebuild the Diving Lady, which was relit in April 2013 at the Starlite before a crowd of more than 1,000. The smaller replica at the Neon Garden pays homage to the sign which energized enthusiasts to begin "diving" to save valley neon
"The Neon Garden is a one-of-a-kind space that beautifully blends art, history and community," said Councilmember Jenn Duff. "It's a fantastic new gathering spot that brings Mesas past to life in a way thats vibrant and fun for residents and visitors alike. I'm proud to see this vision become a reality as part of our continued efforts to make downtown Mesa a true destination."
The Neon Garden is part of a larger renovation and revitalization effort connected to The Post, which was transformed from a historic post office to a community event venue that opened in November 2023. The Neon Garden was partially funded by a 2018 City of Mesa bond approved by voters to support cultural infrastructure projects. Construction began in July 2024.
"Mesa cherishes its past as much as we look forward to our future. The Neon Garden is the only venue of its kind in the Valley highlighting the beauty and craftsmanship of neon signs," said City Manager Chris Brady. "The Neon Garden project preserves the City's cultural history while offering a unique outdoor event as part of our downtown placemaking efforts."
The City of Mesa's partnership with the non-profit Mesa Preservation Foundation created the Neon Garden, which will bring a variety of community programming to the venue. It's just the start for introducing historic neon signs throughout downtown Mesa, creating a special sense-of-place designed to expand heritage tourism. More information is available online.