Left: Jim's workshop is dedicated to the past and present of neon signs. Some of the clocks and signs in his collection are from the 1930s and 1940s and are still in pristine working order. Below: A journey around the Columbia area provides a glimpse through the Creative Neon portfolio. At some point, Jim and Becky say they have helped create, restore or fix nearly every neon sign in Columbia. The couple designed and built the Tropical Liqueurs sign (top middle) from scratch. The Beetle's Billiards sign (top right) shines above pool tables in the Student Center at the University of Missouri. The Dryer's Shoes sign (bottom middle) is one of their favorite restoration projects as the owners of the store had never seen it lit before Jim worked his magic. " Jim is a true artist, " says Joel Bullard, a director for Boone Electric Cooperative. " His work is just beautiful. " Joel had him create the custom John Deere clock (bottom left), which hangs in his Bullard Seed Co. office in Ashland. " We're starting to see a huge amount of collectors after old neons. For us, neons are back in their heyday. " - Becky McCarter, Creative Neon JANUARY 2024 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP 11http://www.RURALMISSOURI.COOP