The Lobster Sign is Back at Armando’s!

By on September 30, 2009 7:08 pm in Landmark Preservation

armandos

The Beatles never got back together.  The Dodgers haven’t come back to Brooklyn (yet).  But today a true miracle happened in Brooklyn Heights —  the Armando’s Lobster sign returned to its home on Montague Street.   Brooklyn Bugle/BHB publisher Homer Fink waged a campaign to save the sign, a fixture in the neighborhood for decades,  back in 2008 when the original incarnation of the eatery closed its doors.  Today, like manna from heaven, the sign rose like a phoenix from the ashes (or Mr. Byros’ storage facility) and once again graces Montague Street.  So, the circle is now complete – the lobster is back and the restaurant is great!

Thanks to BHB Newshound “robr” for the pic and to Karl Junkersfeld for the original tip.

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  • matt

    Good news!

  • http://bivforbrooklyn.com/index.php/squibb Doug Biviano

    My dad used to take us – my sister and brothers – to Armando’s in the 80’s when I was barely a teenager. It was his favorite. We used to get the chicken parm with lots of bread and butter before it arrived.

  • Publius

    The planet is now back in balance.

  • AEB

    I’m trying to picture a sign that’s both like manna from heaven AND
    a phoenix [rising] from the ashes.

    I know: picky, picky, picky. But I wasn’t terrorized by English teachers for years or absolutely nothing….

  • AEB

    ((serious blushing)) “FOR absolutely nothing,” that is…..

  • my2cents

    That is awesome news! Now the economy is going to get better! Do you realize that as long as the sign was down, the economy sucked? Now that it is back, things will be good again! The sign can never come down again or we all risk another financial armageddon. Clearly the Lobster sign is a precious talisman that must never be disrespected again. ;-)

  • since47

    Oh happy day! And AEB, on such a momentous occasion, you’re allowed a typo.

  • Homer Fink

    My2cents- we should track the dow re lobster sign!

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com Claude Scales

    Hooray! from Florida. See y’all Sunday at the Brooklyn Bugle booth at Atlantic Antic.

  • jane

    do they serve lobster? jes askin

  • Curmudgeon

    Great, great news!

  • Berkeley Grosvenor

    Is it just me, or is it a lot brighter now. Was it just scrubbed up, or was it refurbished. Either way, glad to have a beacon to guide me home once more.

  • bornhere

    Berkeley — Those were my precise thoughts this morning as I admired the sign on my way to the subway. Even in the light of day, it seemed so much brighter. It IS the little things — and I’m so glad Peter and the sign are back.

  • babs

    This is fabulous news — and to everyone who hasn’t been back to Armando’s since they re-opened, you really should get over there ASAP — the new decor and menu are both great!

  • Billy Reno

    Great! Now bring back Gage & Tollner!

  • anon

    Cue Twilight Zone music: It’s a new sign! Staff confirmed the old sign was sold or thrown away and the current sign is new. A waiter told me lobster now faces the other direction. Close inspection of the sign reveals metal that clealry has not been exposed to the elements for very long.

  • Homer Fink

    Anon – humbug!

  • bornhere

    anon — The lobster is not facing a different direction (go to The Googles for vintage-y images); so, if worker to be named later told you one fable, the whole story may be, uh, fabulous.

  • anon

    I only know what I was told by the short middle aged Hispanic fellow in a waiter’s uniform, who said he worked a the prior Armondo’s for 20 years, and was standing outside Armondo’s in the late morning as we headed to the Cranberry Street Festival. My witnesses are my wife, kids and some guy in a Red Sox (!) hat who was also interested in the sign. The waiter said the old sign was thrown out. Who knows. But look at the sign–it looks new and clean. Perhaps the neon is the same, but then it must’ve been seriousl refurbished. If you won’t believe what I was told, I hereby deputize Homer to make a personal inspection, to speak with the owner and take photos for the mystery to be solved. If an imposter resides within our mist, it must be dealt with.

  • bornhere

    Well, anon, I was good with your bolstered report until I got to the Red Sox hat dude. I have a feeling he may have had only one arm :)
    Anyway … this is the old (thanks to our beloved BH Blog) —

    http://tinyurl.com/ydzlnhj

    If there was oodles of refurbishing to the point of actually crafting a new one, the kid part of me doesn’t want to know. So, if anyone pursues this mystery and decides to post the findings, please do so with a spoiler alert. Gotta run — my rotary-dial phone is ringing :)