Antique Salvage Company in Chillicothe, Ohio

I remember the day I rode the Big Black Bear.

When I was 5 or 6 years old, back in the early part of the 1950's, my mother took me to Central Center's Big Bear Store, on a bright clear summer's day.

There in the Big Bear store's parking lot was a man with a real black bear. The bear wore a harness and a saddle of sorts. The man was selling black bear kiddy rides.

Considering it was the fifties and neither safety, nor animal cruelty wasn't as big an issue then as now, my mother promptly handed over money and let the man put me on the bear's back for a ride.

Where on, my mother promptly snapped a photo.

It was one of my favorite photos, unfortunately lost in a fire when my father's house burnt down by accident.

But I do remember the day I rode the Big Black Bear.


If you are near Chillicothe, Ohio and you are a lover of neon, you won't want to miss talking with the folks at Scioto Architectural Salvage.

They have cleverly managed to save a Chillicothe landmark and a great piece of the 1950's pop art.

The Big Bear neon sign, which graced the entrance to Central Center's Shopping Center for the past 51 years, was removed from it's stand and is lost to Chillicothians for all time.

Lucky for some lover of neon, this sign's massive size, 8 feet tall and 12 feet long, is seeking a new home.

If anyone out there wants this wonderful piece of 50's pop art, please contact All Signs or
Scioto Salvage for information on how you can own this Colossal Bear for your own.