The iconic marquee outside Vancouver's historic Penthouse Nightclub, known for its sharp wit and timely commentary, is now the star of its own book. "A Sign of the Times: The Best of the Penthouse Marquee" celebrates the Seymour Street sign's journey from a simple advertisement to a beloved and viral fixture of the city's cultural landscape.
From Flight Delays to a National Statement
The marquee's breakthrough moment came in the first week of January 2025. As bartender and marquee mastermind Benjamin Jackson struggled with flight delays returning from Toronto, he watched news coverage about then-President-elect Donald Trump referring to Canada as the "51st state." Inspired, Jackson went straight from the airport to the club around 4 a.m., changing the sign to read: "Forever Neighbours/Never Neighbors."
The message instantly resonated. Jackson awoke after 12 hours of sleep to find the sign had generated approximately 70,000 impressions on Twitter (now X) alone, with sustained media coverage. Penthouse owner Danny Filippone cites this as the turning point that made the book project essential. "That moment made it clear that we should do a book," Filippone said.
Curating a Cultural Artifact
Published by Anvil Press just before Christmas 2025, the coffee table book compiles photos of the marquee's most memorable epigrams. The collection includes classics like the 2016 sign "Rare Pokemon inside," which capitalized on the Pokemon Go craze, as well as "We Take Off More Than WestJet," "Hate strip clubs? Take a left on Nelson," and the COVID-19 era notice, "Clothed Until Further Notice."
The project, however, faced a unique challenge. Many early photos of the signs were taken on smartphones and lacked the quality needed for print. The team hired local photographers to reshoot the marquee at various times—at midnight, at dawn, and amidst traffic—to ensure the images would look striking on the page. The effort paid off; the book's initial print run sold out and a restock was planned for mid-January 2026.
More Than Just a Sign
The book features notes from Jackson on his inspiration, quotes from local celebrities gathered by author Aaron Chapman (who wrote the club's 2012 history, "Liquor, Lust and the Law"), and a foreword from Filippone. The launch party was held at the Seymour Street nightclub itself on December 12, 2025.
The marquee's popularity has tangibly impacted the club, which also houses an upstairs live music venue. Jackson notes that people now visit specifically to see the sign. "People come in just to see the sign," he said. "The bouncer will point me out and people will come shake my hand, buy me a drink, ask for a photo. I've lost count how many times that's happened." What began as one employee's creative outlet has grown into an unexpected landmark, proving that in Vancouver, a clever turn of phrase on a neon sign can become a piece of shared civic identity.
