In Montana in the 1950s, it was Nesbitt's orange, Hires root beer, and definitely grape NEHI. Probably a regional thing. I think NEHI also had a killer cream soda and a strawberry soda as well.

Grape Nehi was of course the favourite beverage of Corporal Walter "Radar" O'Reilly on the TV series M*A*S*H. For those of us who grew up in Canada or other areas where the product wasn't sold and indeed was not virtually but totally unknown, this beverage sounded extremely exotic, perhaps something from an obscure company in rural Kansas or something. The truth it seems is far more prosaic.

Even in its deplorable 1941 condition this building has its own appeal, especially in the bay windows and very handsome roof gable design, both obviously made long ago with a sensitive eye for details. Though functional, its replacement lacks a soul.

You can see in the modern photo a ghost of the old roofline. Not much more than the bones left of the original structure, if that.

Now I am craving a grape Nehi! Best cold drink in the world to me as a little girl. Orange. Ame in second. Good memories.

Minus all the signs but still there. The electrical conduit is still attached to its neighbor after all these years but no longer connected.

[It's definitely in the same place. - Dave]

The enclosed front area seems to have been added since the picture was taken, the original structure was a straight drop from the roof to the ground, this would also explain where the windows went.

[It's a different structure. The old one abutted the building next door; as mentioned in the comment above, you can see the ghost of its roof line - which is different than that of the present building - on the brick wall. - tterrace]

You're right! I hadn't noticed that detail.
It must have been done a long time ago since the new structure looks rather old itself.
Perhaps the original fell down when they pulled out the nails to remove the signs.

Spent 3rd thru 8th grades in North Carolina in the mid-50s, and Nehi Grape was simply IT: the best flavor this kid can remember.

I have monitored the Shorpy photos of "mom and pop corner stores" for years hoping to see a Nehi sign with "THE LEG". Leave it to New York to permit such a racy sign. Most of the southern state Nehi distributors probably chose to offer a toned down sign with just Nehi or Nehi and a bottle. The movie "A Christmas Story" was based upon several short stories by Jean Shepard which included the one where Ralphie's dad won a major prize (the Leg Lamp) in a drawn out puzzle contest. My wife and I are the proud owners of an antique Nehi store cooler with THE LEG which bears an uncanny resemblance to the Leg Lamp in the movie.

Coke 5, Pepsi 1.

I'm impressed with you folks! I could have puzzled over that sign for months without catching onto that visual pun. I guess the Hire's "It Tastes So Good" slogan is more my speed!

Nehi is knee-high, obviously, though it never would have occurred to me, the logo having disappeared as far as I can remember. There would be so many other choices, but it was a modest time.

Orange was the flavor to kill for.

I finally "got" the sign. Who can explain it?