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Editor’s Note: This is one of multiple stories in ETX View’s 2026 January/February issue that published Jan. 10. To read more stories and view the full digital edition, visit our ETX View homepage. The remainder of individual stories will be published in the coming days.

On the corner of Mockingbird Hill Road in Tyler, a cascade of neon, hand-painted, and sun-faded signs glow under the East Texas sky. For Mike Collins, this isn’t just a collection — it’s a living archive of the city’s history. Each sign tells a story of a business that once shaped the daily life of Tyler, from diners to athletic clubs, and Collins makes sure they don’t vanish into memory.

“I hate that we’re losing so much history when things go out of business, and things are just lost or destroyed,” Collins said. “I just felt that we should try to save some of the Tyler history.”

A longtime Tyler resident and private investigator, Collins began collecting signs in 2024 after noticing the city was losing significant history as businesses closed. Inspired by the Neon Museum in Las Vegas and Lubbock’s seasonal ‘Smiling Bush,’ Collins launched Tyler Boy, a community-centered display of nearly 55 signs that locals can drive or walk through to relive memories of Tyler’s past.

“I do prefer signs from local businesses,” Collins said. “They mean a lot to the community and a lot of people know them.”

Tyler Boy owner Mike Collins poses for a photo on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at Tyler Boy in Tyler. (Les Hassell/ETX View)

The sign that started it all came from Traditions Restaurant, which was a staple in Tyler for 23 years before shutting its doors in January 2023. 

“When I saw it discarded, I felt like a piece of my childhood was about to be hauled away,” Collins said.

His most recent acquisition was Ken’s Pizza, which closed in November. So far, Collins has collected 55 pieces of Tyler history. His favorite is the sign from Bruno’s on Vine – the pizza joint’s original location. 

Collins also recently added the sign from the beloved original Johnny Cace’s in Longview – a popular seafood restaurant from 1949 until its closure in 2015. Today, that restaurant’s legacy lives on not only through the Cace family’s endeavors at Cace’s Kitchen on Green Street but also through that special sign, now at its forever home in the Tyler Boy collection.

“I contact the business owners — sometimes they donate, sometimes I pay — but I always make arrangements first,” he said. “But I always get permission.”

Out of respect, Collins waits a while before reaching out about signs from closed businesses. Once there’s an agreement, he sometimes hires a professional sign company to safely remove the pieces, ensuring nothing is damaged in the process.

“I try to keep the old neon signs for nostalgia,” Collins said. “But sometimes I replace them with LEDs to save on the electric bill.”

In addition to Collins taking careful consideration with his acquired signs — including making sure they’re protected under a canopy of trees — the county improved the roadside shoulder so people can safely pull over.

“People take pictures and walk around,” Collins said. “I’ve seen a lot of cute pictures in front of their favorite signs.”

Located at 10691 County Road 159 (off Old Noonday Road and north of Grande Boulevard) in Tyler, the display is open to the public year-round. While daytime visits are welcome, the magic really comes alive at night when the signs illuminate. Collins sets timers to light the signs until 10:30 p.m., making it a bright and nostalgic spectacle for locals and visitors alike.

“I thought it would be fun for everyone, playful and kind of whimsical, so I called it Tyler Boy,” Collins said. “… The collection gives people a chance to relive memories and share stories.”

When he’s not collecting signs, Collins enjoys woodworking and metalworking — skills he often applies to building brackets and metal frames for his collection. As a downtown Tyler resident, he’s been running his own private investigation firm since 1998, blending his professional discipline with his passion for history preservation.

“I think we all can do our part to make Tyler and East Texas a better place,” Collins said. “This is my way of preserving some history and making a fun place for people.”