American travelers may not have noticed, but a legendary American roadside icon has been fading away in recent years.
As Bloomberg reports, “(No) Vacancy” signs are vanishing from American highways.
These neon signs have been greeting road-weary travelers for generations--unless the “No” is lit before “Vacancy.” In that case, the sign has become a famous symbol of disappointment.
The signs came into being sometime before the 1930s. By 1946 they were so ubiquitous that country singer Merle Travis even recorded a song called “No Vacancy.”
But in today’s world, the signs are growing rarer by the year. Julie Hall, a spokesperson for AAA, explained that online booking has had a lot to do with the sign’s impending demise. Another factor: the dwindling number of independent mom-and-pop motels and the corresponding growth of chains.