Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
With their colorful glow and familiar hum, neon signs have a way of making people feel something. For Robert Hoemke, that feeling goes all the way back to childhood.
Raised in his grandparents’ motel, surrounded by glowing roadside signs, Robert developed a lifelong love for neon and the stories it carries. Today, that passion has grown into a mission—preserving not just vintage neon signs, but the history and character of downtown Abilene itself.
Inside a restored 1927 building originally built for Buick, Robert has created D&W Underground, a space filled with revived neon and original architectural details uncovered layer by layer. From art deco ceiling paintings to inlaid tile floors, the building tells the story of a time when craftsmanship mattered—and when tearing something down wasn’t the default solution.
In an era where it’s often cheaper to demolish and start over, Robert chooses restoration instead. Whether he’s bringing a broken neon sign back to life or breathing new energy into a century-old building, his work is about preserving joy, memory, and a sense of place.
This Texas Country Reporter story is a reminder that history doesn’t survive by accident. Sometimes, it survives because someone cares enough to save it—and let it glow again.
Robert Hoemke
D&W Underground
Abilene, Texas
dandwunderground.com
Tik Tok ► vm.tiktok.com/ZMR7EpeVw
Facebook ► facebook.com/TexasCountryReporter
Instagram ► instagram.com/texascountryreporter
Texas Country Reporter
Episode #: 1986
Original air date: 9-20-2025
With their colorful glow and familiar hum, neon signs have a way of making people feel something. For Robert Hoemke, that feeling goes all the way back to childhood.
Raised in his grandparents’ motel, surrounded by glowing roadside signs, Robert developed a lifelong love for neon and the stories it carries. Today, that passion has grown into a mission—preserving not just vintage neon signs, but the history and character of downtown Abilene itself.
Inside a restored 1927 building originally built for Buick, Robert has created D&W Underground, a space filled with revived neon and original architectural details uncovered layer by layer. From art deco ceiling paintings to inlaid tile floors, the building tells the story of a time when craftsmanship mattered—and when tearing something down wasn’t the default solution.
In an era where it’s often cheaper to demolish and start over, Robert chooses restoration instead. Whether he’s bringing a broken neon sign back to life or breathing new energy into a century-old building, his work is about preserving joy, memory, and a sense of place.
This Texas Country Reporter story is a reminder that history doesn’t survive by accident. Sometimes, it survives because someone cares enough to save it—and let it glow again.
Robert Hoemke
D&W Underground
Abilene, Texas
dandwunderground.com
Tik Tok ► vm.tiktok.com/ZMR7EpeVw
Facebook ► facebook.com/TexasCountryReporter
Instagram ► instagram.com/texascountryreporter
Texas Country Reporter
Episode #: 1986
Original air date: 9-20-2025
