Recent Rescues

Welcome Recent Rescues Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Drug Store Little Tavern Pig Restoration Now Gone...1 Now Gone...2 Now Gone...3 Now Gone...4

former Cameo Theater, Coopers' Camera Mart

Opened as the Parkside Theater in 1921, It went throught several owners when it became the Cameo in 1938. By the late 1950's, the theater had been showing art and german films when it closed. The second half of its life had the Harford road facility catering and entertaining as a niteclub, still called the Cameo.  By 2007 the club had problems with violence. Upon its closing, the building was being renovated for use as a medical center. Covered over for almost 50 years with lighted sign boxes, the original 1938 stainless steel clad canopy was discovered. Intact were the stainless steel neon letters.

Located about a mile north on the same Harford Road, Coopers' Camera Mart operated for six decades. Located in downtown Hamilton, The original sign featured stylish channel letters incorporating red neon. The raceway mimmics an unwound section of film with exposed neon units, advertising Kodak.  Coopers' was sold to another DC-based family camera operation, Penn Camera. The store re-opened as Penn, a few miles away, in Pikesville.

The front of the building has been stripped of its stucco, revealing a glass block transom.

The letter channels once contained surface-mounted neon outlining the respective letter.

The lower portion also contained neon lettering, probably "THEATER". The letters missing in the photos were actually laying up top. Both sets were intact. Upon removal of the letters, the canopy was to be removed and scraped.
The theater in 1930. Photo from the Baltimore Museum of Industry collection.
Coopers' Camera Mart was still faithfully lighting at dusk, even after the store had moved. I have yet to determine who fabricated the 4' tall by 16' long sign.
Crane truck guy Chris carefully lowers the main portion of the early 1950's display into the collection. The 'Your Kodak Dealer' neon units were temporarily removed to avoid damage.