Fresno Neon Sign Company
Lighting Up the Valley Since 1932
Fresno Neon Sign Company is one of Central California’s oldest and most well-respected sign manufacturers. With clients from across the state and recognizable projects dating back to the 1930s, they are truly a part of valley history. Specializing in custom design, fabrication, installation and service of all sign types, they have evolved from just neon to a full service sign shop.
Nearly 83 years ago, Fresno Neon Sign Company started as a small neon shop. At that time, the new neon signage popping up around the country was growing fast, and with that trend, Fresno Neon quickly grew into Fresno’s largest sign company. As the company grew, it diversified into other signage formats. Electric lighted and neon signs became a business staple by the 1950s, at the peak of architecture and design. Some of the most beautiful and lasting impressions were made by businesses which chose to invest in a custom-designed sign to showcase their wares and advertise their presence.
Some of Fresno’s most memorable signs are part of Fresno Neon’s history: from the enormous Security Bank sign atop the Pacific Southwest Building in Downtown Fresno; to the original Manchester Center signage, with its stunning architectural steelwork and massive neon lights; to the Edmonds Jewelers back-lit neon on the marble facade of their former Fulton Mall location; to the original Hotel Fresno canopy sign, when it still shone at night through the 1940s.
Over the years, with new competition in town and a widening diversity of sign-writing methods emerging, Fresno Neon managed to change with the times, diversifying to include custom painting, vinyl decoration and internally-illuminated storefront signage.
By the 1980s, traditional sign-writing methods such as metal-faces and extensive neon were becoming a thing of the past, but this did not keep Fresno Neon from staying at the forefront of the sign industry. The company was acquired by shop foreman Bill Kratt in 1986, and soon after moved from its long-time home in downtown to a new and modern facility near the Fresno Airport. In 2014, Bill took a backseat to daughter K.C. Rutiaga, who returned to the business she grew up in after working as a trial attorney for some time.
Although neon work is no longer a primary part of Fresno Neon’s everyday business, this type of lighted sign still delights both industry leaders and customers alike. Fresno Neon Sign Company manufactures everything from small neon signs, channel letters, vinyl signs and large freeway pylon signs. They are also the most experienced electronic message board installer and service shop in the Valley, with a niche for custom school marquees. With projects throughout the Valley, more and more of our very versatile signs are being sold by Fresno Neon than ever before.
With such a rich history and such extensive experience, it’s easy to see why Fresno Neon, after 83 years, remains a Valley leader in the sign business. In 2002, Fresno Neon relocated again, to a newly-built, expanded location, which has facilitated the increased capacity, where they continue to “Light Up the Valley.”
Teresa M. Young has been a consultant to entrepreneurs since 1986, in both retail and B2B sectors. In 1991, she became President of Sign Biz, Inc., a full-service business development company. Young sits on multiple boards, including as Past Chairwoman of both the International Sign Association (ISA) and California Sign Association. She is an accomplished code writer, web developer and contributor to the Git Repository. Young is also an in-demand speaker, engaging business owners with topical and powerful business insights and strategies in support of best business practices and modern marketing strategies under her MintyWorks and Coffee with T brands. 200 click-and-mortar enterprises were established under the Sign Biz business model with more than $19,000,000 worth of SBA-backed funding for these businesses.