A beloved piece of local history is on display in downtown Orlando after a lengthy restoration process by Winter Park’s Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. A panel from the red neon sign that adorned the roof of the Merita Bread bakery is at the corner of Orange Avenue and Pine Street for a public exhibit that kicked off during Creative City’s IMMERSE art festival.
The sign was a staple of the Orlando skyline for 50 years until the bakery closed in 2012. The November 2014 removal of the 48-foot-long, 18-foot-high structure lasted two days but according to Morse Museum Facilities and Security Manager Tom Mobley, the restoration took four months to complete.
“When the property was purchased by a commercial truck company, the new owners wanted to ensure the beloved sign would be preserved,” Mobley told the32789. The sign was donated to the Morse Museum collection where it was restored and kept for future exhibition.
About 78 vintage Orlando-area business signs make up the collection, started by Morse Museum Founding Director Hugh F. McKean as a means of preserving local history and the art of neon. The size and delicate state of the components make tours of the storage facility impossible, but the Merita panel is the second collection piece to be shown publicly. The first display took place during the April 2024 Neon Night event, when the Orange Court Motor Lodge sign was on view in the museum’s back lot.
“It is difficult to restore these signs because it’s really not an art form that people still practice,” Hugh F. McKean Curator Dr. Kayli Rideout previously told the32789. “But we are committed to keeping these signs and conserving them in the same way that we do the other objects in our collection.” Regular maintenance and testing is required to keep every sign in working order.
Mobley said conservation requirements are unique for each sign with the blinking lights of the Orange Court Motor Lodge presenting challenges that differ from those presented by the size of the Merita panels.
“Transportation of these objects is quite complex and requires a lot of preplanning,” Mobley added. “Especially given the low tree canopy and traffic signals and streetlights.”
Morse Museum acquired the entire Merita sign and the yellow “bread” sections that were mounted beneath the red lettering. The exhibited piece consists of one panel from the two identical structures that made up the original display. It is made up of 60-70 neon pieces that were removed prior to transport and rewired during onsite installation. Mobley said the “M” also needed to be separated as the entire panel was too large to fit on a flatbed.
The IMMERSE festival ended on February 23 but the Merita exhibit at 30 S. Orange Ave. lasts through April 1. The installation includes a baked bread scent effect that will jog the memories of commuters and pedestrians who passed by the former bakery.
Despite the difficulties in transportation and assembly, the Morse Museum hopes to continue displaying pieces from the sign collection as opportunities arise. Staff conducts ongoing research to improve upkeep and maintenance, and to help smooth the assembly process necessary for sharing the historic pieces with the public. “It’s a labor of love,” said Mobley.
