Question of the Day - 06 September 2025

Well, how about if we call the Strip from Sahara to Tropicana? Because the last gas station to close on the Strip was the Union 76 on the west side just north of Trop, where Park MGM now sits. 

When it opened is anyone's guess; we could find zero information on that. But we pick up its story in 1975 or thereabouts, when it was bought by one Kenneth Lehman; he owned it until it closed in 2001.

This filling station-minimart-info center is remembered fondly for its "Free Aspirin & Tender Sympathy" sign, as famous in its day as the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign is today. 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. 

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). 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.  

During his watch, Lehman added "Ask Us Anything" to the sign. And then he trained his staff 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.