Walking along West Cary Street, the faded white rowhouse would be easy to miss if not for the vibrant signs in the windows; those that lure passersby to enter the electrifying space and escape into a world of a unique bygone art form.

Run by Chloe Kottwitz, Uptown Neon is Richmond’s last neon shop. Kottwitz took over the business in May 2023 which previously belonged to her mentor, Douglas Solyan.

Entering the shop, customers are greeted by over 1,000 neon pieces hanging from the ceiling and walls. Ranging from neon-rimmed clocks to glowing martini glasses, there’s a vast assortment to browse through, including those that reflect Kottwitz’s intrigue with natural settings – “I’m always drawn to nature and light and mixing multiple materials in nature with glass,” she says.

Most of Uptown Neon’s work is for commercial and private needs. In Richmond, this imaginative creator’s custom work can be found at places like The Cocky Rooster, Helen’s and Stanley’s. “Neon connects the maker with the local business community and keeping those relationships alive is really cool,” says Kottwitz. Recently, she also crafted dancing neon figures for a client’s living space – one of her favorite pieces.

Backroom process

The back of the shop, though, is where this visual magic happens. After receiving an order, Kottwitz grabs glass tubes of various colors and diameters and heats them with torches. Much of the equipment she relies on was passed down by Solyan and is similar to what his mentor Louis Rudd would have used in the 1940s.

Once the glass heats up to about 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit, Kottwitz begins bending the tubes to match a specific design pattern. The completed unit is attached to a manifold where a vacuum is pulled and then electricity is sent through the piece.

After cooling, neon or argon is back filled into the tubes – something that often surprises people. Neon only burns red so argon is needed to produce other vivid hues. Because of this, many so-called neon signs are actually filled with argon.

Neon can be very intricate and temperamental. Designing with it requires patience and open-mindedness – lessons Kottwitz has learned over the years. “Just the nature of neon can make it tricky to work with,” she says. “You have to get tough skin to make something and then have to start over again if it doesn’t work out.”

A native of Bolivar, New York, Kottwitz was attending Alfred University’s renowned School of Art and Design when first introduced to neon. “I got to take classes in all different mediums – glass blowing, sculpture and from there, a neon one,” she says. “That just really clicked with me.”

The freedom and independence neon offered was also enticing. “To learn by myself with the material was important. The skills and craft that needed to be developed for it really grabbed me.”

Richmond’s most iconic neon artist

After graduating in 2021, Kottwitz wanted more commercial experience, but the overall neon community was pretty small. Her professor helped her get in contact with a neon specialist who had a good survey of the nation’s shops and where assistance might be needed. “I called him up and he said someone in Richmond was looking for help.” That someone was Solyan. In August 2021, Kottwitz arrived here with a hungry mind and has been at Uptown Neon ever since.

Solyan’s mentorship had a huge impact on Kottwitz. His passion for the art form was contagious, a reason why Kottwitz decided to ultimately stay in Richmond. “Doug made this feel like home. To have a mentor so excited about your future definitely helped me buy into the idea of staying here.”

Solyan passed away in 2022 and his wife Debbie eventually sold Kottwitz the shop. “I’m so lucky to own my own business and to have had such a good teacher,” says Kottwitz. “Most neon vendors probably won’t be able to call themselves that in the first 5-10 years of their career.”

For most of the early and mid-1900s, neon signs were all the rage. Inviting people to stop in at restaurants, hotels and shops, the glowing signs were an eye-catching advertisement scheme.

One of Richmond’s most iconic neon artists was Solyan’s mentor, Rudd. Also called Mr. Neon back in the day, Rudd worked for Talley Neon and was best known for his creative signs that lit up Broad Street during the ‘30s and ‘40s. Solyan furthered his knowledge of the craft under Rudd and went on to start Uptown Neon in the 1980s.

Neon’s grip soon faded though, as cheaper and more advanced lighting options like LEDs became available. Thanks to neon vendors like Kottwitz though, this art is slowly reviving.

While Kottwitz still creates the customary neon advertisement pieces, there’s hope to broaden the public’s perspective of neon. “A dream project of mine would probably be some form of stunning lighting over a large dining or living space,” she says. “Neon is so often used for advertising, and as much as I love that, it’s also got a lot of space for growth.”

As a new year begins, Kottwitz plans to focus more on some of her own art goals while continuing to build up skills and experience. “I’m passionate now about using neon in a bit more abstract way, as lighting in a home or sculpture.”

The shop is also seeing steady growth and orders are rapidly coming in – an indication that many are gaining a new appreciation for this distinctive artistry. “There’s a lot of interest in the city,” says Kottwitz. “It’s great to see people slowly realize the potential of neon.”

Uptown Neon is located at 2629 W. Cary St. It is open most weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and it is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.