H&C Coffee Sign

The H&C Coffee Sign has welcomed people home to the Roanoke Valley since 1948. The sign was first installed atop the roasting plant on East Campbell Avenue and was relocated to the top of the former Ames Hotel in 1964. In 2005, after a fundraising campaign to support repairs, the sign moved to its current location atop the former Shenandoah Hotel building.

For decades, the H&C Coffee sign, alongside the Roanoke Star and the Dr Pepper sign, defined the visual and cultural identity of downtown. Though the H&C Coffee sign still stands, it no longer lights the skyline alongside its neon neighbors and has been listed as endangered due to a state of disrepair. The Historical Society of Western Virginia recently assumed ownership of the sign to ensure its preservation for future generations.

Restoration plans include replacing the neon with sustainable LED lights that mirror the look and glow of neon, as well as repairing the structural support of the sign, which has suffered from weather damage.