How about some fun with naming of industries?

Not to nit pick, but it's Tony Packo's in Toledo.

There are clips from these shows on YouTube.

LEE

Some one here had Salvatore Manella's Fish Market on their layout.  I borrowed that for my grandkid's layout.

Really Sal Manella's Fish Market....  Better is Samuel Manella's Resturant

Ahhh your're right!  Well...it was close....

There was a Dentist in Brooklyn named "A. Yellen"

I had an building on my layout "Van Allen Belt Company"

I love to have a few humorous names on my layout, but the majority I want to be realistic sounding names.  Here are a few examples of what I mean.

Names like:

Certified Bearings

Interstate Distributors

Corporate Growers

Industrial Plating

Tri-State Produce

Central States Warehouse

Eskimo Cold Storage

North Pole Cold Storage

I.C.E. Cold Storage

Northwest Iowa Die casting

Great Lakes Grease Guns

Berkley Tackle

Super Valu Warehouse

All these first names could be interchanged with the last names.

Art

I named my layout after our 6 grand kids.  Each one has there own special section and for a reason.  The section named after them is because they had a special thing for that area while I was building it.  Example:  Our third oldest granddaughter only weighed 1 pound 9 ounces when she was born.  So it was only fitting the mountains were named after her.  Several of the business's on my layout are named after out sons, daughter-in-laws, and my wife.  This way makes the whole thing very personal to the whole family.

Yep, I'll swear there's a phone app that churns out endless names for hair salons. A couple of my local favorites are 'Do or Dye' and 'Scissor Me Timbers'

Seen on a car body shop:

Auto Body Experience

I see a truck on my way to work that I always thought would make a good layout industry:

Santanna Banana Co.

on the back of the the truck it has "EAT MORE BANANAS"

And the ribs are great!!!

My Construction Company, "Close Enough Construction". 

If its close enough its done.

An old one but still good

Miracle Chair Co.

If it's a good chair it's a Miracle.

Many of my friends have also named buildings after family members and I will do some of that too. 

Josh's Hobby Shop

Nathan's Sporting Goods

Caleb's Coffee Shop

Art

I actually will be doing the same thing.  I have many places from my childhood and places that I have fond memories of ect.  But I may sneak in a couple funnies..

There's a drive-in in Ypsilanti, Michigan called the Chick Inn. Used to have the best french fries in the world, before they changed the recipe. Ypsi also has the Idle Hour Tavern, a biker and working-class hangout that, like the Chick Inn, has been there forever. 

The two I have on my road are

ITSA Steel - metal fabrication

Koldashel Meatpackers - With their motto along the front - If it's frozen it's Koldashel!

Spice Shop

Frank N.Sence

N. Mehr

Proprietors

How about this name...and its from an existing company in Maryland & Virginia....Peed Plumbing..............or Gina Lick HVAC.

I think you should keep the names with the theme of your railroad. If you are modeling in the 50's then names like Woolworths 5+10. That looks best and helps keep your railroad looking great.

Ok....more Michigan madness

A "gentleman's club" here. Its real.. the sign reads Chix on Dix 

This isn't photo shop, its I-75.

I did jobs under the names "Blind Flash Fabrication"&"Blind Flash Welding".

Shultz Elephant Chow. Lucy's Bar, beer 5¢.

The sign at Shumeller's Seafood Buffet "All full".

How about "Hit-&-Miss" Track Ballast Company.

I have one that I usually include on my US themed layouts.

Field & Marshal Electrics. It's an appliance manufacturer.

The "fun" is twofold

One, Field is a direct translation to English of my last name Fält.

Two, in most of the world, Field Marshal is the highest military ranking. But not in the US where General is highest. Compare with the "other" appliance manufacturer General Electric. So Field & Marshal "A little bit better"

Have you considered the Chicago department store, Marshall Fields? Just a thought.

I like to name businesses after friends and relatives. I also name some after the real thing.

Here is a Woolworth's, a Western Auto and a Rexall drug store

 Richard - I love the looks of this block.  All these stores are ones we all recognize and make for a great scene.

Art

We had a radiator repair shop in Livonia that advertised "The best place in town to take a leak", right on their van.

Don't have a layout yet, but when I do it will have a Dentist Office with the Dentist named  KEN B. PAYNEFULL and his assistants are named WILL HURT and MAJOR PAINE.

The firm of Mr. Kent and Mr. Hoyt decided to make soup. They named their product "Kent-Hoyt Old Fashioned Chicken Soup."  Their slogan on the sign above the factory says "It may not help, but it Kent-Hoyt."

Woodland Scenics' O scale building kit #95100 was a good sized choice for a spot on my layout.  Their name of the building kit, Heier Kite Co., is clever on its own.  However, I wanted a more unique name.

Not intended to be 'punny', but recalling a demonstration I saw when visiting Australia many years ago, I named the building "Schmiegel's Shur-Sharp Sheep Shears".  The advertisement on the end wall reads "For Sheep that are Regal, Shear with a Schmiegel!". 

On a more serious side, I will someday have a small meat locker (store) on my layout in memory of my Uncle Bruno and Aunt Claire of Lacrosse, WI.  When I was a kid, my summer visits to their business, Schlicht's Select Sausage, was a treat, a hoot, and a major dose of reality in seeing what hard work...and rewarding joy...a family business can bring. 

Besides, rapidly repeating the alliteration in the two names is especially fun...after a few suds!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Stinky Plumbing

"We're #1 when it comes to #2

Dr.john Checkeye

Optometrist

We also have a 4wd shop called Jeepers Creepers.

Tommy and Tammy Peepers, a "couple" of opthamologists

Clarence D Woods Stationary Supplies

Knee-high Shrubbery

Grizzly Bear Quarry

Copper Range Police Patrol

City Used Cars

Professor Michael Richard Duchus, Ornithologist (Not a quack)

Noah's Speed Dating.  "You Low? We Good! 

Don't miss our outdoor "Full-Moon" buffets [weather permitting] (Yue Lao, Wei Gu)

Okay I'm a little late to the party, but here's a couple of mine, including Who Lumber co. They have a billboard in town...I'll show you.

Here's a couple more...

We actually have a small, local BBQ chain in Maryland called Adam's Ribs - several locations throughout the state.

Some more...

When my layout is done, I will make these signs:

For my #97 coal loader:   Algore Coal Co.

For my #165 log loader: Hugatree Lumber Co.

We're working on signage for an office building in the seedy part of town.

• "The law firm of Reale Slyme and Sons -- Bending the Law 'til you get what you want"
• "The Investment Firm of Swindell, Goneph and Ladron -- If you still have money, we're not finished."