Mr. Boh will blink at Baltimore’s skyline with new National Bohemian sign

After more than two years since the Brewers Hill sign stopped functioning, National Bohemian will unveil a new, more environmentally friendly Mr. Boh on Sept. 25, according to a press release.

I wasn’t fully ingrained in the city at the time, but my longtime Baltimore resident co-workers said Mr. Boh used to be neon and used to blink.

Sometime in the fall of 2022, the 27-foot neon sign at the top of the former National Brewing Co. plant went dark. He then became more like a “box light sign,” illuminated by different colored lights. He stopped winking. The design, the engineering and installment of the sign were all done by Baltimore-based firms, even though the brewery left the city in the 1990s. You could argue it’s no longer a local beer, but those who drink it are, for the most part, Baltimoreans.

As a brand, Natty Boh used to be more innovative, said Chopra, referencing Day Beer and Crab Shack Shandy. The revamping of Mr. Boh is the beginning of something new.

It took some time to get the ball rolling on fixing the sign, Chopra said, mainly because of cost. But changing the sign to LED means it will last longer, be easier to maintain and be more efficient energy wise, Chopra said. It also means Mr. Boh will come in other colors: Orange for the Orioles if the team makes it to playoffs, purple for the Ravens and rainbow for Pride Month, Chopra said.

As a journalist, I knew I had to ask the important question: Will he be winking?

Technically, Chopra said, he will be blinking, as he only has one eye.

Clara Longo de Freitas

clara.longo@thebaltimorebanner.com