Parasol (Closed) Seal Beach, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Parasol Restaurant in Seal Beach is a restaurant that looks
like its name. In recent years, there were two Parasol's remaining in
the area. However, Dinah's Parasol in Torrance was demolished in the last
past couple of years.
Denny's (Demolished)
Agoura Hills, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Check out the space age orb above this classic Denny’s in Agoura Hills. Perched on top of the roadside marquee, the sphere gave motorists something to notice before they even thought about ordering breakfast. Apparently a familiar restaurant name needed a little company from outer space.
These old coffee shop signs brought plenty of imagination to an ordinary meal stop. The orb added an unusual silhouette above the restaurant, giving the corner a futuristic touch even when the most adventurous thing happening inside was somebody ordering breakfast for dinner.
The photograph catches a reminder of the days when Denny’s locations had distinctive roadside features worth a second look. For passing motorists, the marquee advertised a place to eat. For sign hunters, that sphere might have been reason enough to pull into the parking lot.
Denny's (Demolished)
Agoura Hills, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Unfortunately, this Agoura Hills location met its end in the latter part of 2002. The restaurant and its memorable marquee became another disappearing piece of Southern California’s coffee shop landscape. Another roadside treasure had served its last dish.
UPDATE: The classic Agoura Hills Denny’s was demolished in late 2002. The photograph preserves a look at its marquee and the space age orb that once topped it. 10-26
Rod's Coffee Shop (Closed)
Montebello, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Back when a neighborhood coffee shop was a regular stop rather than a special outing, Rod’s Coffee Shop in Montebello gave customers a familiar place to settle in. The roadside marquee helped announce the restaurant, while the local crowd supplied plenty of reasons to stay a little longer.
Opening around 1956 near Beverly Boulevard and Garfield Avenue, this location belonged to a small Southern California chain started by Rod Wellman in 1946. Other Rod’s restaurants appeared in communities including Alhambra, Pico Rivera, and Arcadia, giving the name a presence beyond this Montebello corner.
Rod's Coffee Shop close-up
Montebello, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Like many coffee shops of its era, Rod’s became part of the neighborhood routine. A quick meal could easily turn into another cup of coffee and a conversation that outlasted breakfast. No particular occasion was needed to stop by, which was part of the attraction.
The marquee also gave passing motorists a familiar roadside reference. Long after a restaurant changes names, these old signs can keep an earlier identity alive in neighborhood memories. Someone giving directions might still call it the old Rod’s corner, regardless of what the menu says.
Olympic Restaurant, also now closed
Montebello, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The restaurant later went through several identities, including a stint as an Armenian restaurant. Different menus brought new customers through the doors, adding another chapter to a place already remembered for its coffee shop days. The meals changed, but this corner had spent plenty of time in the business of feeding Montebello.
UPDATE: Rod’s Coffee Shop closed, and the Montebello restaurant subsequently operated under other names. Its history here reaches back to approximately 1956. 10-26
Spires Restaurant
Carson, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The huge marquee at Spires Restaurant once gave travelers along Wilmington Avenue plenty of notice that a meal was nearby. Rising above the coffee shop, the sign caught the attention of truckers, commuters, and anyone whose next stop might involve breakfast.
Part of the Southern California chain founded in 1965, this location served the surrounding harbor and trucking corridor for decades. Its familiar diner menu made it a convenient place for a morning omelet or a meal after a long workday.
Spires Restaurant
Carson, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Fortunately, the sign’s removal didn’t take the coffee shop with it. Customers could still pull in, settle at a table, and carry on the neighborhood routine. The skyline had lost an attraction, but the kitchen kept going.
UPDATE shop, this Spires in Wilmington lost its
huge marquee recently, a sign that used to catch the attention of truckers
and travelers alike. At least the coffee shop itself still remains in business.
UPDATE: Spires remains open. The original towering marquee has been removed. 10-26
Denny's (Demolished)
Denny's (Demolished)
Rod's Coffee Shop (Closed)
Rod's Coffee Shop close-up
Olympic Restaurant, also now closed
Spires Restaurant
Spires Restaurant
