8newsnow.com by: Denise Valdez

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Neon signs are a significant part of Las Vegas’ history, culture, and symbolism, and have evolved considerably since the boom of the 1930s and 1940s.

The Young Electric Sign Company (YESCO), a family-owned business in Las Vegas, has continued to shape the city’s iconic neon landscape for over a century since its founding.

The company, now in its fourth generation as a family-owned business, was founded in 1920 by Thomas Young.

Since then, YESCO has played a pivotal role in the creation of some of Las Vegas’s most iconic neon signs, such as those for Circus Circus and El Cortez.

“We can’t believe that we’ve been part of such an amazing history of something so extravagant, so bright and so alluring as neon and signs,” YESCO Executive Vice President Jeff Young said. “My grandfather showed up with signs, and we never stopped.”

The Young family is behind some of the most recognizable signs off and on the Las Vegas Strip, from neon signs in every shape and size to a modern-day shift to sleek LED.

When we finished Aria, we never thought bigger and brighter. When we finished Palms, we never thought anything big, bigger, brighter. Then we got hired to do this Sphere, and we thought, how can anything get bigger and brighter?” Young told 8 News Now.

YESCO’s Operations Manager Kevin Kelley, noted the evolution of the sign-making process, stating, “Everything was done by hand. Everything was more art-related. Now you have LEDs that have basically taken the place of neon.”

YESCO’s work also includes the creation of the Hard Rock Cafe guitar, which is now displayed at the Neon Museum. The company is also behind some of the most recognizable signs on and off the Strip, including the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign and The Golden Steer restaurant.

Despite the shift to LED technology, YESCO still values the traditional craft of neon sign-making. At one point, the company employed about 40 glass blowers, though now only six remain, continuing the delicate work of bending and curving glass tubes to create vibrant neon displays.

YESCO’s enduring presence in Las Vegas underscores its significant role in the city’s visual identity, maintaining the vibrant glow of neon while embracing new technologies. As Jeff Young remarked, “To harness that, bring it to life and make Vegas sizzle fantastic, who gets to do that?”

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLAS. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLAS staff before being published.

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