Vegas Vic vibrant again on Fremont Street

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Absence makes the heart glow fonder.

After months spent with his lights shut off, the 72-year-old iconic neon sign known as Vegas Vic is lit up again.

“This is such a great moment for Las Vegas to have Vegas Vic in his full glory, glowing on Fremont Street,” Aaron Berger, executive director of the Neon Museum Las Vegas told FOX5 Thursday.

In the spring, some people had noticed Vic had gone dim from lack of upkeep, so they reached out to the City of Las Vegas, which then notified the owner of the sign that it was in violation of city code, which states that historic neon signs in that area of town are required to be lit while the sun is down.

“It’s important that we have this iconic piece glowing throughout the night,” Berger stressed.

Schiff Enterprises, which owns Vegas Vic, called up Young Electric Sign Company, which has deep roots in Las Vegas. YESCO repaired and replaced the neon tubes, among other work, and though Vic is shining again now, the company still has more to do in the near future.

“We’re actually in the midst of looking at potentially redoing all the glass, all the paint and everything on the whole sign,” YESCO VP of Service Judd Williams explained. “It’s in need of some lipstick.”

Williams says signs as old as Vic need maintenance every month, and that Schiff Enterprises had let him sit without repair for more than a year.

“There was a while where they weren’t doing much,” Williams said of Schiff Enterprises.

Vic’s return means a lot to locals and visitors to Fremont Street, and perhaps even more to Berger.

“Vegas Vic doesn’t just represent another sign on Fremont,” Berger said. “Vegas Vic is history. Vegas Vic is really where a lot of our city’s history is rooted.”

Williams, whose employer was commissioned to build Vegas Vic all those years ago, agrees.

“He holds a special spot with YESCO and the Las Vegas community,” Williams said glowingly of Vic. “He’s been there since the start of Fremont Street.”

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