The cost of doing nothing…

Posted: March 24, 2006 at 5:47 pm by John

I moved to San Francisco seven years ago next month. Ever since I moved, I can remember seeing a neon sign for a restaurant called “The Patio”, which is located in a central location that I pass a few times a week.

I remember this restaurant NOT for the great food and NOT for the amazing ambiance, but for the mere fact that is has never opened in the entire time I’ve been here. It has remained in EXACTLY the state you see in the picture below.

Now, being a man who cares less about important things and more about curiosities, I took this photo, and decided to answer my long running question: “How much money does it cost to operate this neon sign?”

The good news, as I discovered is that neon signs are extremely efficient. “The average neon sign only consumes about 0.8 amps. This equates to about 96 watts (about equal to a single lightbulb). Average cost to operate your neon sign is only about 20 cents per day (if you operate it 24 hours per day).” Therefore, this sign has cost the owner of this space only about $500 for the seven years!

Another website quoted about $3.25/month to operate a neon “OPEN” sign 24×7. That’s about $275 for seven years. “The Patio” is twice as many letters, so perhaps we’re back in the $500 range for seven years.

I’m surprised and impressed…and I’ve lost my loyal blog readers after paragraph 3. Did I mention it is raining again today?

7 Comments for The cost of doing nothing…

JamesF

Actually on paragraph three I was examining the picture wondering if the size of the font in the sign would factor into the cost.

But I’m an odd one.

BullBunky

Yes, these were fairly generic cost estimates I found, but I was still floored that you could run ANY sign continuously for 7 years and use so little electricity.

It still doesn’t answer WHY there is no resturant after all that time. I can tell you that the PROPERTY TAXES are not $500!!

CAPT_Sawyer

I actually found this topic interesting. The big question is what is the rent/insurance/etc costing per month?

matthias

John,

Cost is no object. You see, it is a front for a terrorist sleeper cell.

Either that or they are in the human slave trade of Russian mail order brides…

BullBunky

Matt, I didn’t see that one coming. You made me spit my drink back into the cup. Too funny. Now I see how the universe is interconnected 🙂

Anonymous

the PATIO [ when it was opened in the 70’s -90s]] had a GREAT outdoor PATIO. it of course was a gay opereated buisiness, that was pooly managed, and had ” silly “twinky” airhead waiters that all had enough attitude that could possibly part the RED SEA!!!!
the GREATEST french fries in the world and out rageous sandwichs.
SPECTACULAR DESERTS..SUNDAY brunchs were an absolute must, and it was heated with overhead patio heaters.
there was a small tabacco store in a small arcade that one passed by, the music played was mediochre at best.
but it was a GREAT haunt for the locals there and was a great place for sunday brunch, and delightfully free from straight people for the most part which made it even better as the gay cleintle simply could be what they were ….. GAY outrageous and VERY FUNNY. some of the BEST material and ideas of creativity came out of that area.
. the ” patio” area actually is HUGE. takes up most of the back lot. i ate there MANY times truly a wonderful part of san francisco .
There was some politics about the revamping of it but it finally fell apart and the place has been in disrepair for years.and i THINK the owner of the now defunct PATIO is the owner of the building but im not sure.
🙂 so much for free advice and history huh?

http://www.lawrencekulig.net

BullBunky

Hey, a little bit of local history! Thanks. I have never heard the back story on The Patio, but it is an odd relic. (Someday, someone will probably use that term to describe me as well.)