Label
House of Spirits
1947 — fascia sign (house and House of Spirits text)
1958 — pole sign
1314 Echo Park Avenue, Echo Park, Los Angeles
Donated by the Telis Family
It was thought the three-dimensional rooftop sign for House of Spirits dated to 1958 when the liquor store located on Echo Park Avenue and Sunset Boulevard debuted. However, evidence in the construction, style, and wiring of the house portion of the sign was a clue that it was repurposed from an earlier location. Permit research revealed that House of Spirits was previously located across the street behind what was then called Pioneer Market. The idyllic, three-dimensional storybook cottage is surrounded by a white picket fence and it once puffed animated neon smoke out of its adorable chimney. The sign is lauded for its technical skill and artistry, but House of Spirits is also a symbol for the spirit of Echo Park. Featured in the 1993 film "Mi Vida Loca", the House of Spirits served generations of residents in a changing community that since the 1980s has been majority Latinx. Recently MONA discovered an incandescent bulb inside the window of the house, which would have given the illusion that someone is “home.” Another discovery that was made when the house sign was removed from its building was that the setting sun is made of plexiglass and also glowed from within.
The Telis Family took over the House of Spirits and purchased the building in the 1970s. The liquor store and its deli catered to the Echo Park community until an unfortunate fire in 2018 prompted the business to close. In 2020, the family donated the sign to the Museum of Neon Art. We are preserving the sign in our collection and hope to one day return it to the community as soon as it is restored and an appropriate location is found.