Is the "Free Aspirin & Tender Sympathy" sign still in Las Vegas?

I turned 21 in July and one of my first acts was to become a member of the Las Vegas Advisor. My parents have been taking me to Las Vegas since before I could walk and have been members for a long time, but I wanted my own coupon book. One of my earliest memories is my mother carrying me around the Excalibur buffet and having me point to the food I wanted. On their photo wall is a picture of my parents in front of a sign at a gas station that says, "Free Aspirin & Tender Sympathy." I want to see that sign on my first solo trip to Las Vegas in November, but when I asked them about it, all they said was to send in a Question of the Day about it. Is the sign still there, wherever it was?

Well now, welcome to the club! And congratulations on achieving official adulthood, being able to gamble in Las Vegas, owning your very own Member Rewards Book, and having your first Question of the Day answered. It's a good one. We're tickled that your parents have a photo of that old sign on their wall and suggested you ask us about it.

The "Free Aspirin & Tender Sympathy" sign was as famous in its day as the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign is today. Like the Welcome sign, it was manufactured by YESCO (Young Electric Sign Company), which has been lighting up Las Vegas since the 1920s. A YESCO sign designer came up with the two-sided sign in the early 1950s and over the years, it displayed variations on the theme at a Union 76 gas station on the west side of the Strip just north of Tropicana Avenue.

Mostly, the north side of the sign advertised the minimart at the gas station, selling cold drinks, snacks, and film (in part for taking photos of the sign, like your parents did, though selfies were far in the future back then). On the south side was the famous phrase in large letters, which lit up at night. For a long time, that side also advertised S&H Green Stamps with an arrow pointing at the minimart.

In the mid-1970s, Kenneth Lehman bought the gas station, which he owned until it closed in 2001. During his watch, he added "Ask Us Anything" to the sign. And then his staff was trained to do just that.

In 1996, the Monte Carlo (now Park MGM) opened near that location on the Strip. Five years later in 2001, the Union 76 was torn down, along with the sign, which was donated to the Neon Museum. And that's where it still resides. You can see what's left of it, along with a couple of videos of the sign's restoration in progress, here.

Meanwhile, have a great first solo trip to Las Vegas, young man! If we can help with anything, say the word. And definitely let us know how it goes, especially your coupon usage.

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Comments

Donzack Oct-06-2024

Anthony’s dream

One thousand of these new members brought in by his parents. And on and on. A good question, how many members and how many Las Vegas patrons were introduced by their parents.

Vegas Fan Oct-06-2024

Parents

So these are some of those  parents who bring children under 21 to casinos. Can't figure out why they'd do such a thing.i come to a casino to get AWAY from little ones.

O2bnVegas Oct-06-2024

love it

I'd heard the phrase some time along the way, but not the where from or when.  

Super history and photos.  Thanks so much.

Candy

P.S. As for bringing kiddos to Vegas, I'd expressed my Grinchy attitude about it before, but now that I have a diabetic cat (he requires an insulin shot twice a day!) I get that finding a sitter for  pets or little ones for more than half a day isn't as easy as it may seem.  Mea culpa.

Kevin Lewis Oct-06-2024

The worst thing you could possibly do to him

Taking your young adult to Vegas??? Do you really want to show him how much "fun" it is to get drunk and lose more money than you can afford, all while paying sky-high prices for everything, down to and including a breakfast bagel?

The absolute worst thing that could happen, though, is for him to gamble and WIN. That spells DOOM. He'll now have to lose thirty-seven more times in a row before realizing that the first attempt was a fluke.

Donzack Oct-06-2024

If

If the kid is sharp in math and the parents train and test, I think it’s a lot like sex, drugs and alcohol. Do you want him to learn the right or wrong way. Sometimes I see kids and dad screaming after a win. Not good. They have enough electronic problems with computers and phones. Only multiplied with jackpot celebrations in a casino. I remember many moons ago picking up a new laptop with Video Poker for Winners installed. The 20 something worker asked me what VPW was as his coworkers laughed behind him. His parents were both gamblers anonymous and refused to let him play any card games and he was a computer wizard. Give him a month with Bob Dancer and look out. No flaws to worry about.

Raymond Oct-06-2024

Ancient Times

One of the Neon Museum pics has gas at 32.9 cents/gallon.  Not $3.29.  Has to be pre-1974.  Thank goodness cars now get 3+ times the miles per gallon they did back when my family came to Las Vegas for the first time (1971)!

Llew Oct-07-2024

Hmmmm. 🤔

Didn’t see anything in the question that specifically indicated that the writer is a “young man.”  We young women love LV and the LVA, too.  😏

Question of the Day - 06 October 2024

Comments