Sometimes, you find the most interesting things in the unlikeliest of places. That’s how I ended up with a vintage hotel sign, now quietly nestled in the Trove Arts Art Parlour among various other curiosities that lend a hand in creating a rich texture for our unique brand of immersive, art-themed storytelling.
The story begins in my teenage years, when I spotted the sign in my friend’s dad’s garage. It was an old, dusty piece that once hung on the building when Jack Thompson, my friend’s father, owned the hotel. The sign was a bit worn, with thick cracked ceramic sockets and crumbly fabric-covered wires, but it's hand painted stained-glass definitely held a wonderful charm.
When I asked my friend if anyone wanted it, he asked, “Why?” His father had the same question when I asked if I could have it. And when I asked my dad to help me get it home, he too wondered, “Why?” Despite their fair confusion about my interest, the sign found its way into my bedroom and has moved with me ever since, now resting in a corner of the Trove Arts Art Parlour behind a 1974 Italian-made Harley Davidson dirt bike... normal art studio décor, right?
Over the years, I’ve made a few updates to the sign. I replaced the old wires and sockets with new ones and swapped the original bulbs for Edison bulbs. Later, I added rope lights, followed by multicolor LEDs, and now the sign features individually controlled pixel lights making this sign the most vintage lighting instrument in the Trove Arts Art Parlour's elaborate theatrical lighting system.
Recently, I discovered some photos of the original hotel on a Mukwonago Facebook page. The
building was erected in 1837, and the second-floor balcony was used to unload stagecoach luggage. While I don’t know much more about the hotel’s history, the sign now carries a bit of that legacy, connecting the past to the present in its own quiet way.
So next time you’re in the Trove Arts Art Parlour, take a moment to notice the hotel sign. It’s a small piece of history that’s been with me for years, now illuminating its corner of the room with a gentle, colorful glow.
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