“Amazing Transformation.”

The Sunrise Drive-In, built near Sacramento in 1963, closed for good and was demolished in 2004, like many beloved drive-ins across the country. Western Sign Company in Diamond Springs, California, got the job of removing the historic sign. Co-owner Todd Johnston couldn’t bring himself to dispose of the iconic sign and instead decided to renovate it. This was easier said than done, as it was in poor condition and included some hard-to-find materials. Then came COVID, and Western Sign used the extra time provided by the pandemic to achieve the complicated renovation. Local drive-in enthusiast BJ Nartker, who had earlier produced a documentary on the history of the Sunrise Drive-In, brought his camera to the shop to document the renovation. His film shows the before and after of this amazing transformation.

See the remarkable video of the work!