Languishing nearly forgotten in a sign company's storage yard in Utica, New York since the early 1990s, The LAST known complete Howard Johnson's Trapezoid sign featuring a chaser-light arrow and neon Simple Simon and the Pieman topper has been rescued by Tod Swormstedt and his American Sign Museum. While the fantastic sign has been saved, the restaurant it once advertised, Utica, has been demolished. Steven LJ Russo reported that its destruction took place the last week of September in 2006

At considerable expense, the museum was able to acquire the Trapezoid sign from the Durante Company, and a generous museum benefactor will cover the costs associated with its restoration. Currently the American Sign Museum is located at 2515 Essex Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. Eventually a new site will house the museum and allow it more space to display its growing collection -- including the classic 1960s HoJo's Trapezoid sign in all its fully restored glory.