What should we do with Corno's fruit?
Maria Thi Mai
As seen on Northwest News Channel 8, KGW.
What would you do with a 6-foot cornstalk sign that has been a Portland icon for more than 50 years?
Wander down Martin Luther King Boulevard past the Corno's Grocery site near Alder Street and feast your eyes on the over-sized tomatoes, pineapple, bananas and other tantalizing vegetables and fruit that have adorned this corner since 1952.
Since this site will soon be a construction zone for the Eastside CSO project's Alder Street shaft, we need to find a new home for the Corno's sign. Let's hear your ideas!
Posted by Maria Thi Mai on September 20, 2005
(29) Comments | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page, Livability & Environment, News, Southeast Portland (inner)
Comments by site visitors
Having lived in Salem almost all of my life, I ALWAYS knew where I was by the sight of Corno's Fruit sign and after I moved here it still has remained a landmark of where I was and where I needed to be. I think that someway, somehow it NEEDS to be brought back to that same corner AFTER the pipe project is back. By removing it totally from this site and placing it somewhere new totally takes away from the history of the area, it would be liking moving the old White Stag sign from Burnside and putting it in St Johns, makes no sense!
Posted by: Kathy K | Sep 20, 2005 6:07:52 PM
Definitely use it for one of the farmer's market spots! What a great way to make a NEW landmark.
Posted by: Linda G. | Sep 20, 2005 7:52:03 PM
As part of Portland's history, it might be a cheerful welcome to visitors at PDX. Display in a museum may limit access by the public.
Relocation to the existing Saturday/Sunday market would subject this icon to (possible) vandalism, however it would certainly brighten up the North side wall directly under the Burnside Bridge.
Posted by: J. Brown | Sep 20, 2005 8:07:36 PM
I drive past the sign everyday and would love to see it as part of a new permanent market by Skidmore Fountain. A Portland version of Pike Place Market would be a tremendous benefit to Old Town.
Keep up the great job Sam!
Paul W
Posted by: Paul Williams | Sep 20, 2005 10:33:14 PM
Hey, I See lots of good idea's have been posted since I originally posted mine.I Came up with another one what about putting it out at Portland International Race Way???Or I agree with the person that said put it at Pdx.that might make a good home.or even
some where along the River on the NE Side.
Posted by: Sherrie | Sep 20, 2005 10:58:49 PM
It's obvious... this needs to be used as part of the decor of the new Portland Public Market.
It may need some refurbishment, but it sure would be nice to see it recycled and reused at this exciting new market!
Posted by: Tim Liszt | Sep 20, 2005 11:19:29 PM
I think that the city should store it for future use when the Warehouse District is revitalized. I'm sure this District will bloom like the Pearl has and what a nice piece of nostalgia this would add to remind Portlander's of the evolution of this part of the city. Perhaps it could be used in a new park or turned into sculpture and placed around the District.
Posted by: Justin D. | Sep 20, 2005 11:25:10 PM
maybe Sheridan Fruit Market just down the street would want it... at least it would stay in the neighborhood. Otherwise, one of the farmer's markets. It should stay on the East side though!
Posted by: Margaret | Sep 21, 2005 6:20:52 AM
Use it at a farmer's market, either the one on the PSU campus or the one in NE Portland or even the Beaverton farmer's market. It's a great sign and it's big enough that it could even be broken down and used in multiple farmer's markets.
Posted by: lisa | Sep 21, 2005 7:53:47 AM
I like the idea of trying to keep in that part of town, or at a farmers market. Out at the airport is okay too. What about putting it up on one of the bridges? Also, what becomes of the Corno's site after it is torn up?
Posted by: Ryan M | Sep 21, 2005 7:57:24 AM
Keep it in SE, take the individual pieces of fruit along with the sign and place them along the SE waterfront "esplanade" as art objects for people to enjoy from the shoreline and the water.
Posted by: David Feeley | Sep 21, 2005 8:10:44 AM
Why not use the existing building and sign to hide the pipes and work they are doing. Sort of urban camouflage.
Posted by: Harold Howells | Sep 21, 2005 8:20:12 AM
Use it to fence the skateboarding area. Not far to move!
Posted by: Suzanne | Sep 21, 2005 9:11:13 AM
I was thinking how fun it would if Portlandia had the fruit on her head. The new Carmen Miranda?
Or, if she was holding a 9 foot banana...kind of like King Kong.
Posted by: screaminghouse | Sep 21, 2005 9:52:34 AM
We currently rent the upstairs of cornos. Does anyone know the date they plan demolition? I think it needs so much restoration that it's not worth fixing. But if it could be restored by donations then farmers market it is.
Posted by: Donnie | Sep 21, 2005 10:01:02 AM
So, the more I think about it, the more it seems like the obvious choice: why not find a place for these signs somewhere on Produce Row?
I know that it is a little goofy, but it'd be a good way to "keep Portland weird."
Posted by: Roland Chlapowski, Policy Analyst | Sep 21, 2005 10:17:06 AM
WOW... PAM AND WALT PELETT OWNERS OF THE CORNO'S BLOCK SAY IT'S NEWS TO US THAT SAM ADAMS OR ANYONE ELSE AT THE CITY THAT WORKS IS INTERESTED IN SAVING THE FRUIT ON OUR CORNO'S BUILDING NOT TO MENTION THEY WANT TO TEAR OUR BUILDING DOWN YES WE'VE HEARD THEY WANT TO TEAR IT DOWN THEY TOLD US THAT 8 MONTHS AGO BUT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE ASK THEY WONT GIVE US ANYTHING IN WRITING AND MEAN WHILE OUR TENANTS ARE LEAVING NO ONE NEW WANTS TO MOVE IN UNDER THAT BUREACRATIC CLOUD AND THIS IS THE CITY THAT WORKS ..,MAYBE IT'S TIME TO CALL FEMA
PAM PELETT
Posted by: Walt &Pam Pelett | Sep 21, 2005 1:05:43 PM
This sign could be used at the Oregon State Fair, or a County Fair, on the exhibit hall where they judge the quality of Fruits and Vegetables.
Alternatively, it could be given or sold to an agricultural organization, possibly a Grange Hall.
Laurel Jones
Posted by: Laurel Jones | Sep 21, 2005 1:40:39 PM
Although the fruit has adorned Corno's for fifty years, the current fruit is not that old. The original fruit was removed and replaced with the current fruit in about 1975. A friend of mine at the time, who was an automobile restorer, was contracted to wet sand and lacquer a few of the pieces. The parking lot beside the fruit is newer yet. John Corno tore down a neighboring building to build the lot in 1983. I was his data processing manager at the time.
Posted by: Dave Lister | Sep 21, 2005 2:45:04 PM
The sign should remain somewhere near the same location. It's always been one of my favorites in Portland, which is a city of great signs. Every visitor I have from out of town is just amazed that we have held on to so many of our original signs and it's part of why they enjoy Portland so much. Thanks for trying to preserve it, Sam. I can't wait to see where it ends up.
Does anyone remember that sign from the movie, "Breaking In," with Burt Reynolds?
Posted by: Jeremy | Sep 22, 2005 11:31:42 AM
Jeremy-
Yes I do remember the breaking in sign from the Burt Reynolds movie. In fact we had the safe from that movie, but then we sold it 3 years later. -Walt @ City Liquidators
Posted by: Walt Pelett | Sep 22, 2005 11:44:45 AM
Can we take it to Iraq to brighten up the landscape?
Posted by: Ben Waiting | Sep 25, 2005 4:33:37 PM
I like the idea of keeping it on its current block after the construction (and during, if possible). I am also curious as to what will happen to this block after the construction is finished. If this is not possible, I would support moving it to one of the farmer's markets or the public market. The Produce Row suggestion sounds interesting, but I have no idea where that is. I don't like the idea of moving the sign out to the edge of the city somewhere (like PDX or PIR) or indoors at a museum. I think it should stay in the downtown or close-in eastside area.
Posted by: Bill Jackson III | Sep 26, 2005 4:41:03 PM
Walt,
Thanks for you partnership with us on saving the signs.
Sam
Posted by: Sam Adams | Sep 27, 2005 11:02:53 AM
Put the fruit under the burnside bridge as the ceiling of saturday market. The only way it could be vandalized would be with paint guns or paint balloons. You should pay the owners.
Posted by: chuck | Sep 29, 2005 10:00:43 AM
Put the fruit under the burnside bridge as the ceiling of saturday market. The only way it could be vandalized would be with paint guns or paint balloons. You should pay the owners.
Posted by: chuck | Sep 29, 2005 10:05:43 AM
i would love to see all of it saved. i worked at cornos when i was in high school and for a year or two after. if nothing else i know that a few of us x employees would love to own a bit of that history. i live in bend oregon now and always drive by that great old landmark when i'm in town. lets hope that the city will make the right choice and preserve all the old fruit for future generations to see.
albion kent vickery
Posted by: albion kent vickery | Feb 15, 2006 9:40:26 AM
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Put it on display at the portland advertising museum or something like that.
Posted by: Sherrie | Sep 20, 2005 4:48:32 PM