With the Golden Star Radio sign’s original colors rediscovered and its neon being restored across the Bay, the pieces of the project were ready to come back together.
High above Clay Street, historical sign painter Manny Fabregas continued the painstaking work of preparing and repainting the sign. Soon, the restored neon would return to Chinatown.
Repainting a Chinatown Landmark
Restoring the sign meant much more than simply applying a fresh coat of paint.
After decades outdoors, the metal needed extensive preparation. Rust was removed, damaged areas were repaired and the sign was primed before its original colors could be restored.
Manny then began recreating the lettering and characters that had defined the Golden Star sign for generations.
Patterns helped establish the original shapes and placement, but the final painting still required a steady hand and the skills of a traditional sign painter.
Little by little, the familiar Golden Star design began to reappear.
The Neon Returns to Clay Street
Meanwhile, work on the neon had been completed in Oakland.
Original tubes that could be saved were combined with newly fabricated pieces, including replacements for missing or damaged sections. With the glasswork ready, the neon made its trip back to Chinatown.
Getting it onto the sign was another challenge.
Each fragile section had to be carefully lifted three stories above Clay Street and positioned on the newly painted sign.
Putting Golden Star Back Together
New glass supports were attached to hold the neon tubing away from the sign’s surface. Then the individual pieces could be installed one by one.
The newly recreated Cantonese characters went back into place. Sections of the English “Golden Star” lettering followed.
Behind the scenes, the restoration also included new transformers, wiring and electrical service to ensure that the historic sign could safely shine again.
After weeks of work by specialists in neon, painting and restoration, the transformation was nearly complete.
There was just one very important test left.
Would Golden Star light up again?
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