I have noticed many large signs around town that consist of a grinning “teddy-like” bear holding a smaller sign that contains the name of the business establishment. They are not associated with any particular business, but they tend to be found in front of mom-and-pop-type auto repair garages. I’ve lived in several parts of the country but don’t remember seeing these signs until I moved to LA. The signs are very large; the bear is typically about 15-20 feet tall.
Does anyone know the origin of these signs? Was this the standard sign of some now-defunct retail chain, and later businesses kept the sign because of its recognizability? There seems to be a standard-shaped bear and many other variations, although the bear is usually in the same pose.
Check here for some pictures of these “road bears”.
For many years, I thought those bears, the old-fashioned TravelLodge sleepy bears (images of which the chain has apparently completely purged from the web), and Jerry Bears were all the same mascot.
Little did I know that the good and honorable name of Bear Manufacturing was also being used by large, hairy gay men. And they have their own flag! The plot thickens…
