SANTA MONICA—The neon sign at the Santa Monica Pier is temporarily coming down. It is being restored, not permanently retired. The city says it is refurbishing the sign while preserving its historic character. Originally unveiled in 1941, the 20-foot blue arch still boasts its original “Santa Monica Yacht Harbor” message and was declared a California historic landmark in 1996.

YESCO, a Salt Lake City sign company known for the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, is handling the restoration. Crews from the company conducted a structural inspection of the sign in December 2025 ahead of its planned removal. Meanwhile, a half-scale replica of the sign stands on the pier so visitors can still take photos during construction.

The work is part of the $35 million Pier Bridge Replacement Project, which will replace the aging entrance bridge built in 1939 with a new structure ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games. According to the city, the new bridge will have wider sidewalks, a 75-year service life, and realigned walkways on the pier deck. It will also meet current seismic and safety standards.

When it goes back up, the sign will sit about 10 feet north of its current spot and will be raised for better visibility and clearance. The city has not officially set a removal date. Earlier project timelines said the sign would come down in January 2026, then pushed that to August 2026. As of late September, it still has not been removed, with reinstallation planned for July 2027.

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