Every now and then I'll meet up with the lovely wife at her office and
we'll drive past this sign
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10735775@N.../48822614571/

and I'll think 'i should look that up' and then forget till the next time.
Well the next time we pull over and I get out to take some
not-from-a-moving-car pictures and note the address. (and note the lovely
wife for stopping)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10735775@N.../48822771132/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10735775@N.../48822771112/

and armed with he address the Google machine provides insight

*Pacific Saw Works* was a saw business at 4401 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
<https://localwiki.org/oakland/Martin_Luther_King_Jr._Way> (formerly Grove
Street), founded in the 1930s by an Italian immigrant, Alexander J.
Ponchione. Today the building is home to artists' studios, and is owned by
the granddaughter of the founder.

The 1930 directory lists Alex J. Ponchione, 4538 Grove Street, "Saw Filing
and Grinding, Lawn Mowers Sharpened and Adjusted, All Work Guaranteed." The
family lived not far away at 820 - 40th Street.

The 1967 Polk's directory lists William Allara (the Ponchione's
son-in-law), president; M. C. Ponchione, vice-president; Mrs. V. C. Allara,
secretary; B. H. Ponchione, treasurer.

Based on advertisements, they were selling chainsaws and lawnmowers from at
least 1950 to 1976. The word 'lawnmowers' is faintly visible on the
saw-shaped sign.
with a sign like that, I'd need a bigger shop! and a neon bending course to
restore it!
-- 
Michael