Flexlume Sign Co.

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Location

1462 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14209
Also known as 1464 Main
SBL: 100.39-2-3
Ellicott Council District
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Erie County Property Info
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Next to: 1468 Main Street

Owner

ALFRED P & SHIRLEY J, ROWELL SR TRUST per City of Buffalo Property Information

Physical Description

Two story brick commercial building

Current Condition

In longtime use by well-known Buffalo sign making company Flexlume.
First floor storefront facade windows are covered up and second story window openings partially replaced with glass block.

History

  • 1904 - Roy and Wallace Wiley, and W.S. Hough, joined forces to produce white opal glass molded letters to push through a sign face and illuminate from the rear. This was a process that would create flexible-illumination. Hence the name: “Flexlume” was born.
  • 1911 Company moved from Canada to 1453 Niagara Street in Buffalo, N.Y.
  • 1920 - Moved to 74 Kail
  • 1924 - Constructed a 125,000 foot plant at 1100 Military Road
  • Late 1930's - The Wiley Bros. had left the company
  • 1942 - Flexlume struggled in the late 30's and closed during WWII
    • F.A. (Al) Rowell, owner of “White Electric Signs” since 1928, purchased the company and the bulk of its assets, moving to 999 Main.
  • 1946 - The company moved to its current location, 1464 Main St., where a more streamlined company has been producing some of Western New Yorks greatest signs since.
History courtesy Flexlume

Recent Events and Actions Taken

  • F.A.’s Rowell's son, Paddy Rowell Sr., and his sons and grandsons continue to produce signs in Buffalo

Other Pertinent Facts

  • The company continued to grow as high as 500 employees even through the depression with its solid customer base of financial institutes, automotive dealers and movie theatres. Many of Western New York’s classic marquees remaining today were built by Flexlume.

Links

Flexlume Sign homepage


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Added 2014-03-10 • Last changed 2014-03-10

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