Acropolis Coffee Shop (Closed)
Lakewood, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Check out the huge neon marquee at Acropolis Coffee Shop along Carson Street. Rising above the restaurant, it gave passing motorists plenty of notice that a meal was nearby. This was the kind of roadside greeting that didn’t need much help from a navigation system.
The sign was an attraction in its own right, with enough height and neon to stand apart from the surrounding businesses. Even someone who had already eaten could find a reason to slow down for another look.
Unfortunately, remodeling eventually brought a quieter look to the property. The oversized marquee disappeared, taking away the feature that had made the restaurant so easy to spot. The photograph preserves its earlier appearance, when the sign still had plenty to say above Carson Street.
UPDATE: The former Acropolis building in Lakewood was repurposed for the Heritage Family Pantry. Its large neon marquee has been altered. 10-26
IHOP
Granada Hills, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
In Granada Hills is a good example of the IHOP A-frame
restaurant building. IHOP aka the International House of Pancakes opened in Toluca
Lake, California in 1958. The last of the famous A-frame buildings with IHOP's
signature look was built in 1983. Many thanks to Adriene Biondo for info.
Fortunately, this Devonshire Street location still offers pancakes beneath the familiar peaked roof.
UPDATE: IHOP remains open at 16943 Devonshire Street in Granada Hills. Its classic A-frame building survives with updated restaurant branding. 10-26
M&M Soul Food (Closed)
Inglewood, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Check out the sidewalk overhang at M&M Soul Food in Inglewood. The old coffee-shop building gave the restaurant a familiar roadside setting, with broad windows and a canopy stretching across the front. A second look from the side shows how much character went into an everyday dining stop. 04-06
The overhang helped tie the entrance and windows together, giving the low building a strong horizontal appearance. It was the kind of practical shelter that also supplied something worth noticing from the street.
Inside, Southern cooking gave customers another reason to pull in. Fried chicken, smothered pork chops, collard greens, and other comfort-food favorites suited a place where a substantial meal could become an occasion to linger.
M&M Soul Food
Inglewood, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The photograph preserves the Manchester Boulevard chapter of the restaurant’s story. Although that location eventually closed, the M&M name continued elsewhere in Inglewood, carrying the food traditions into a different setting.
UPDATE: The photographed Manchester Boulevard location closed. Ms. B’s M&M Soul Food continues at 4549 West Imperial Highway in Inglewood; the newer location is separate from the original coffee-shop building. 10-26
Hody's (Removed)
Lakewood, CA Postcard courtesy Brent Higginson
The Hody's Restaurant was a Lakewood, California icon. Formerly located at the corner of
Lakewood Blvd and Candlewood Ave, near the Lakewood Center, the restaurant closed down around 1970. The location was noted for its fine restaurant
and drive-in service girls. Many thanks to Brent Higginson for info. 12-06
The sweeping canopy, glass, and stone accents suited a growing community built around the automobile. Customers could finish a shopping trip with a meal without getting much farther than the parking space.
UPDATE: Hody’s closed around 1970, and its restaurant building and signage were subsequently removed. The former site became part of the surrounding Lakewood Center commercial area. 10-26
Crystals Coffee Shop (Demolished)
Montebello, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here’s the old Crystal’s Coffee Shop in Montebello, with a roadside marquee worth a second look. The bold sign and broad restaurant windows gave Whittier Boulevard a classic coffee-shop stop. Unfortunately, this view now belongs to the photograph collection. 01-07
The geometric marquee did its work above the traffic, while the dining room welcomed neighborhood customers below. Its large panels and lettering made the restaurant easy to pick out along the boulevard, even before anyone started looking for a parking space.
The low roof and wide windows carried the familiar look of a Southern California coffee shop. Customers inside could watch the passing traffic, while motorists outside caught a glimpse of a place where breakfast or lunch might justify a detour.
For younger visitors, remembered Mickey Mouse-shaped pancakes supplied an attraction of their own. The roadside design might have caught the adults’ attention, but breakfast could handle the rest.
Crystals Coffee Shop (Demolished)
Montebello, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Places like Crystal’s became part of the neighborhood routine, serving customers who knew the corner as well as the menu. The photographs preserve both sides of that memory: the marquee that brought people in and the coffee shop where they settled down.
UPDATE: Crystal’s Coffee Shop was demolished in the mid-2000s. Its marquee is gone, and a newer restaurant development replaced the former location at 2113 Whittier Boulevard. 10-26
Ollie's Coffee Shop (Closed)
Near Yermo, CA Photo courtesy Chris & Ginger
That big “EAT” sign near Interstate 15 offered a straightforward invitation at Ollie’s Coffee Shop near Yermo. Unfortunately, the restaurant beneath it had been vacant for years when photographed. The sign seemed considerably more enthusiastic about dinner than the building. 07-07
For travelers between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, it became a familiar roadside landmark. Three large letters were enough to catch the eye, even when stopping for a meal was no longer an option.
The quiet building and oversized invitation made an unusual pair. Passing motorists could still recognize the old stop, with the sign recalling earlier days when a break from the highway might include coffee and something from the grill.
UPDATE: The former Ollie’s property on Sunrise Canyon Road later returned to restaurant use as Cali-Burger. The roadside sign structure was retained with altered branding. 10-26
Acropolis Coffee Shop (Closed)
IHOP
M&M Soul Food (Closed)
M&M Soul Food
Hody's (Removed)
Crystals Coffee Shop (Demolished)
Crystals Coffee Shop (Demolished)
Ollie's Coffee Shop (Closed)
