Stan Summers was born in 1929 when the stock market crashed and Prohibition was in effect. He never saw a reason to collect breweriana that was older than him. Instead, he sought items created during the heyday of American brewery advertising–from the time of Repeal in 1933 through the 1960s. Stan felt a personal and nostalgic connection to this era because he lived through it.

In his 50+ years of collecting, Stan amassed an expansive collection, including hundreds of die-cut cardboard signs featuring colorful graphics that depict American life and culture from the 1930s–1960s. Stan was a visionary in collecting these pieces, which were once overlooked as inexpensive, disposable point-of-sale advertising. Now, they are scarce and highly sought after by collectors.

The Cone Top Brewery Museum was proud to acquire Stan’s collection in 2022.