perhaps whomever was “TRAVELING BROKE & HUNGRY” had just stepped inside Kokoro for a bowl of miso soup when they left this elegant hand-drawn ampersand in the cold rain at 6th & Broadway

(third in a series — signage on Broadway may last for decades or a few minutes; focusing on the typographic form of ampersands is both a simple delight and a way to illustrate Baker’s diversity)

founded in 1900 at this location, Johnson Storage & Moving is one of Baker's oldest businesses, but the sign here was repainted no earlier than 1947 when the company became a founding agent of United Van Lines; the subtle quirkiness of the gothic typestyle of the ampersand and the rest of this large nameplate reflect the confidence and of an experienced signpainter, and the simplicity of bygone business era

(second in a series — several of Broadway's newer businesses, as well as some of Broadway’s oldest, have an ampersand in their name; focusing on the typographic form of these ampersands is both a simple delight and a way to illustrate Baker’s merchant diversity)

an “inventory reduction sale” is a bit unexpected at a grungy tavern, but according to a man who emerged from this door that’s exactly what’s happening at the venerable Brown Barrel, which predates almost all the other bars on Broadway; the bar has been sold and will close on 17 September, he said, and that means all the unopened bottles must be sold; you have a week left to load up on $1 bottles of schnapps

no word yet on what will follow at this location …

the casual, elegant ampersand at Hazel & Dewey looks as if it were drawn with an architect’s pen, and indeed the merchandise inside is fine functional design

(first in a series — several of Broadway's newer businesses, as well as some of Broadway’s oldest, have an ampersand in their name; focusing on the typographic form of these ampersands is both a simple delight and a way to illustrate Baker’s merchant diversity)

These were the Ryetous IPA, Imperial Porter, and Strong Coffee beers.