Tot to Teen Village Sign

Object Number : 2018.0025.0001
Type : signs/displays
Sub Types : Array
Decade : 1960 - 1969
Object Height : 62"
Object Width : 15'
Object History :

The Tot to Teen Village was a children’s clothing store that was founded in 1937 in Kalamazoo, MI. It moved several times through the course of its run, and its original name was The Tot Shop.  The donated sign comes from the location established in 1966 on Kilgore Road in Kalamazoo. It was called “village” because the interior featured half a dozen large, elaborate kid-friendly structures that defined different areas of the store – a castle, an old western town (with a slide), a princess zone, trees, and carpet paths.
The store was beloved by many generations of parents and children, so there was great affection for the sign. When the store
closed in 2017, the new owner wanted to find a new home for the sign and so it was moved in March of 2018. After attempts to donate it to the area history museum but challenged by the sign’s size, it was donated to the American Sign Museum.

City of Origin : Kalamazoo
State of Origin : Michigan
Status : Storage
Location : Offsite
Status Location : Leon showroom
Donor Name : John Hilgart
Contact Donor : 1
Condition :

Very good

Restoration Cost : $1545
Restoration Date : 05/10/2019
Restoration Description :

05/10/2019: Neonworks diagnosed all lighting, relight “to TEEN” and replace some housings; rewire primary & secondary to new transformer; mount 10 new 3-lamp ballasts at a cost of $1,545

Deed of Gift Form Received : 07/30/2018
Object Received Date : 07/15/2018
Object Cataloged Date : 12/22/2023
Shipping Cost : $501.64 (mileage, meal and sign removal)
Fair Market Value : 0.00
Private Documents : Array