For years there has been a critical demand within the sign industry for a book on the structural engineering of signs. This comprehensive text more than meets that demand -- it exceeds it. Sign companies, ...
The current Let There Be Neon owner recounts founder Rudi Stern
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If ever art and commerce didn't mix, it was in Rudi Stern's guise.
This isn't a bad thing. This is a beautiful thing.
Consider how many of us in our little sign industry owe our livelihood to him. Some of us know it; some of us won't admit it, and most of us are just clueless.
I hope the latter will read this tribute to our friend.
When I started working at Let There Be Neon in 1977, I had no idea what the future held. A mutual friend said, "Just come in for an interview." Little did I know how drastically it would change my life.
You can't imagine the bewilderment, curiosity and amazement visitors feel when they initially walk into the Let There Be Neon gallery. They gradually realize the only light amongst the "caves" is neon light, whatever that is. The peculiar shapes of these neon lights and the caves soon appear. Eventually, you turn around to the caves, the nooks and crannies, and notice their ubiquity. By the way, the stucco caves existed, contrary to popular belief, pre-Rudi. The perfect fit!
It was 451 West Broadway, off the corner of Prince St. The heart of Soho . . . yet Soho was in its infancy. Still filled with paper mills; little, Italian, neighborhood delis; smoky, blue-collar bars; and the staple manufacturer directly across the street (yes, an actual staples manufacturer, not Staples). All personality would soon be replaced by high-end fashion and $25 sandwiches.
Rudi and Charles Schwartz founded Let There Be Neon in October 1972. Charles stayed on only briefly. It was always Rudi's baby.
He was fascinated by the flowing lines of light and intrigued by their possibilities. He truly appreciated the craftsmen who, at the time, represented neon's final breath.
Rudi, through Let There Be Neon, changed that.
His appreciation of the craft as art, and the art being used in the craft, exemplified his brilliance. Rudi could always spot untapped talent. In Let There Be Neon's early days, Rudi provided young artists with their own neon palettes.
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