The Frisch's Mainliner in Fairfax is closed, but the iconic sign out front will keep its memory alive. A museum in Camp Washington will be its new home.
American Sign Museum Founder Tod Swormstedt says the plan is to start taking it down Monday.
“The first order of business once it’s back at the warehouse is to kinda take an inventory of what it needs,” he says. “A lot of times a sign looks okay from the outside. But the most important part of the condition of the sign is the internal structure, and that’s where the compromise is, on the angle iron inside. But we’re confident that we can restore it back.”
Swormstedt says the sign means a lot to a lot of people, because it had been there for so long.
“We would hear from people: ‘if anything ever happens with the Frisch’s, you’ve got to get that sign. The museum gotta get that sign.’”
Related: Frisch's museum dishes up memorabilia and nostalgia in Fairfax
Swormstedt says the owner donated it.
“I think there were some people, some collectors that were interested in it. I don’t know. I would guess with such an iconic sign that there would be some collectors interested in it,” he says. “But I don’t think people are aware of the cost of restoration for a sign like this.”
He estimates restoration to working order and the installation outside the museum could cost anywhere from $50,000 to $60,000.
Swormstedt says it's not clear when the sign could be on display.
