The Bonanza Gift Shop sits at 2440 South Las Vegas Boulevard. The shopping center holds a space of forty-thousand square feet and is self-proclaimed, "The World's Largest Gift Shop." Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site address: 2440 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Haim Gabay
Sign details: The Bonanza Gift Shop opened in 1981 marketing as the world's largest gift shop. Though in 1963 a portion of the property opened as an Honest John's Casino. In 1971 the Big Wheel opened next to Honest John's Casino. After 1974 Big Wheel changed to Centerfold Casino 1975-1977. In 1977 the Centerfold Casino changed to Jolly Trolley Restaurant, Saloon and Dining Depot. From 1977-1981 Jolly Trolley remained at the location; it seems at one point Jolly Trolley took over the entire shopping center and casinos. Between 1977 and 1981, a 24 Hour Adult Book Store was taken over by Jolly Trolley that allowed Bonanza Gift Shop to purchase the whole property. The sign's design and theme has stayed the same from 1963 to current. The gift shop was sold for $50 million in 2016 to Haim Gabay.
Sign condition: 3- the paint is peeling off, and the signs have holes in them. The incandescent light bulbs and marquee are not working to full capacity; some portions do not light up at all.
Sign form: This is considered an architectural sign with the reader boards-marquee built into the building. The sign at the end of the corner is considered a cantilever construction.
Sign-specific description: The sign is mainly rusty red and a gold-yellow that surrounds the building with multiple "Bonanza Gift Shop" logos in a old west type font. Also there is a reader board surrounding the building as well.
Sign - type of display: The Display used is a reader board, neon, incandescent, and fluorescent lighting.
Sign - media: Plastic, Steel and Fiberglass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Plastic for reader board
Sign animation: Chasing
Notes: Incandescent light bulbs that surround the building and logos
Sign environment: The property is on the west corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Sahara. The stores surrounding the establishment are Naughty Town, Walgreens, Essence Cannabis, Strip Gun Club and Diversity Tattoos.
Sign - date of installation: Estimated 1963 or earlier
Sign - date of redesign/move: 1963 Honest John's cantilever construction. 1971 Big Wheel opened up and added the projection sign. In 1974 the Big wheel changed to Centerfold Casino and in 1977 name changed to Jolly Trolley. In 1981 the Jolly Trolley projection and cantilever construction sign changed to Bonanza Gift Shop.
Sign - thematic influences: The sign dates back to 1963 and resembles the golden nugget decorated shed concept along with the cantilever construction sign similar to golden nugget's 1946 sign, except circular rather than organic. The actual sign uses color psychology to attract consumers to the gift shop. The theme is definitely western themed.
Survey - research locations: https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/bonanza-gift-shop-in-las-vegas-sold-for-50m-records-show/ about new owner purchase. Vintage Las Vegas http://vintagelasvegas.com/search/Bonanza+Gift+Shop helped with dates of property change. Author Paul W. Papa's book "Discovering Vintage Las Vegas: A Guide to the City's Timeless Shops"
Surveyor: Gisselle Tipp
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-12
Sign keywords: Architectural; Plastic; Steel; Incandescent; Chasing; Reader board; Neon; Marquee; Fluorescent; Roof Sign

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The Desert Moon Motel sign sits at 1701 Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas. Information about the sign is available in the Southern Nevada Neon Survey Data Sheet.
Site name: Desert Moon Motel (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Site address: 1701 Fremont St
Sign owner: Jerzy and Celina Kosla
Sign details: The building was constructed in 1942 (Assessor). According to one commentator, the Desert Moon motel opened on the site in 1952 (Roadside Architecture.com). The cars on a vintage postcard of the motel appear to date from the late 1940's or early 1950's (Ebay). The same vintage postcard (Ebay) shows the motel as a member of United Motor Courts, an early motel referral chain founded in 1933 which published a travel guide until the early 1950's (Wikipedia). Based in Santa Barbara, California, United Motor Courts was made up of "a friendly group of independent owners of motor lodges..." (Historic Highways). The Quality Inn motel franchise was a spinoff of United Motor Courts (Wikipedia). The motel has been renovated by its current owner, Polish immigrant George (Jerzy) Kosla (Glionna, 2017).
Sign condition: The sign is Condition 4, good. The paint appears slightly faded but there is no flaking or peeling. The cabinets, reader boards, and fiberglass moon are all in good condition. The neon is intact.
Sign form: Pole sign
Sign-specific description: The sign pole and metal cabinets are painted pink. The design and lettering are the same on both sides of the sign. The trapezoid-shaped lower cabinet extends horizontally toward the street. It contains a rectangular white plastic lightbox which states "FREE ADULT MOVIES" in red sans serif letters and "FLAT SCREEN TV'S in smaller black san serif letters. To the left of the letters is the black silhouette of a female figure. On the metal below the plastic screen are clear sans serif neon letters which spell out, "NO VACANCY" in red when illuminated. The upper metal cabinet hangs from the street side of the pole. White painted san serif letters, covered by clear sans serif neon letters which glow red when illuminated, run vertically down the cabinet to spell out, "XXX MOVIES". Five metal cabinets attached to the street side of the sign run vertically to spell out, "M-O- T-E- L" in white painted sans serif letters covered by yellow sans serif neon letters. On top of the pole is a white p
Sign - type of display: Neon, Lightbox
Sign - media: Steel, Plastic, Fiberglass
Sign - non-neon treatments: Lightbox
Sign environment: East Fremont Street, surrounded by other motels.
Sign - date of installation: c. 1950s
Sign - date of redesign/move: The now pink or faded red sign cabinets were painted blue in a 2003 photograph
Sign - thematic influences: Desert, Space Age, Western
Sign - artistic significance: The current sign appears to have taken the Western/Lunar theme from the previous sign and transformed it into a 1950's/1960's Space Age/Lunar theme
Survey - research locations: Assessor's website
Survey - research notes: Ebay. Las Vegas NV Desert Moon Motel roadside Nevada vintage linen postcard ca 1940s. Retrieved from https://picclick.com/LAS-VEGAS- NV-Desert- Moon-Motel- Roadside-Nevada- 141923576051.html Glionna, J. M. (2017 April 23). Motel, once a haven, now a crime-ridden jungle in downtown Las Vegas. Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las- vegas/downtown/motel-once- a-haven- now-a- crime-ridden- jungle-in- downtown-las- vegas/ Historic Highways. (2007 July 14). Archive for the "Motel Associations" category: Looking for a motel in 1933. Retrieved from https://historichighways.wordpress.com/category/motel-associations/ Roadside Architecture. com (n.d.). Las Vegas Signs: Desert Moon Motel. Retrieved from http://www.roadarch.com/signs/nvvegas.html RoadsidPeek.com. (n.d.). Downtown motels Las Vegas: Desert Moon Motel. Retrieved from http://www.roadsidepeek.com/roadusa/southwest/nevada/vegas/lvmotel/lvdownmotel/index5.htm Wikipedia. (n.d.). Motel: 2.6 R
Survey - other remarks: A postcard circa early 1950's features a different sign with a saguaro cactus and quarter moon (Ebay). The current sign appears to have taken the Western/Lunar theme from the previous sign and transformed it into a Space Age/Lunar theme, which may indicate that the sign dates from the date from the late 1950's or 1960's.
Surveyor: Mitchell Cohen
Survey - date completed: 2017-08-22
Sign keywords: Neon; Steel; Plastic; Fiberglass; Pole sign; Light box; Sculptural