Los Angeles, CA - A true Southern California Coffee Shop treasure, Ships Restaurant epitomized all that was right about the googie age. Designed by Martin Stern Jr., Ships was famous for its Coffee Shop Modern style, from the restaurant itself to the spellbinding "space-age" marquee in front. From the busy West Los Angeles location near the bustling university village of Westwood to the Culver City hot spot, Ships was a favorite hangout for both Southern California locals and passersby. But alas, like all good things, the beloved Ships chain, the Southern California favorite son, met its demise in the 1980's and 90's.

This special section of Roadside Peek's Coffee Shops takes a look back at the closing day of Ships, La Cienega. Many thanks to Gerald M. Panter for contributing his b/w photographs towards documentation of this special, yet sad day in modern architecture history. All photographs copyright Gerald M. Panter of Gerald M. Panter Photography. 06-01

Ships Coffee Shop
Los Angeles, CA
Photo copyright Gerald M. Panter

A giant arrow and a space-age roof gave Ships Coffee Shop quite an introduction at La Cienega and Olympic. Check out the towering sign, where the lettering and lightning-bolt framing made this more than an ordinary place to stop for coffee. Ships looked ready for the future, even when customers were just looking for breakfast.

This was the third location in the small restaurant chain started by Emmett Shipman and his father, Matt. Ships also had restaurants in Culver City and Westwood, giving Los Angeles several places to enjoy its distinctive combination of coffee-shop food and roadside scenery.

To the left is a photograph of the classic ships marquee with its recognizable rocket arrow pointing to the heavens. The front of the restaurant is also shown with its boomerang facade.

Ships Coffee Shop
Los Angeles, CA
Photo copyright Gerald M. Panter

While Martin Stern, Jr. designed the earlier locations, Armet & Davis gave the La Cienega restaurant its dramatic appearance. The broad, angled roof reached over walls of glass, bringing the dining room into view from outside. There was plenty here to catch the attention of passing motorists before the sign finished making its pitch.

And what a sign it was. The skyward-pointing arrow gave the corner a little rocket-age excitement, with neon tracing shapes that hardly suggested a quiet neighborhood cafe. After dark, Ships became part of the illuminated procession of restaurants and businesses along La Cienega Boulevard.

Ships Coffee Shop
Los Angeles, CA
Photo copyright Gerald M. Panter

The restaurant promised that it “Never Closes,” making it a useful destination when other kitchens had called it a night. Late workers, students, and customers finishing an evening out could find a place at Ships. The glass walls and glowing sign offered a welcome sight when a cup of coffee and something to eat were still on the agenda.

Notice the lighting fixtures, straight from the 1960's. This scene was reenacted on a daily basis from 1963 to its closing day in 1995.

Inside, customers had a small job to do themselves. Ships was famous for its tabletop toasters, allowing diners to prepare their own toast alongside breakfast. Bread arrived ready for the appliance, leaving the question of lightly toasted or well done in the customer’s hands. Quite a memorable bit of equipment to find beside the usual salt and pepper.

It's hard to believe that coming soon to this site will be a Del Taco fast food restaurant.

Ships Coffee Shop
Los Angeles, CA
Photo copyright Gerald M. Panter

That detail helped make Ships something people remembered long after their meals. The building might draw someone in, but a toaster at the table gave the visit another distinction. Few coffee shops offered quite the same combination of a futuristic exterior and a little breakfast preparation at the booth.

A classic convertible waits patiently outside the restaurant as its owner steps inside for a final meal at this coffee shop treasure.

The La Cienega location also appeared in the 1985 film Into the Night. Its nighttime appearance suited a movie taking its characters around Los Angeles after dark. Ships already had the scenery in place, with the restaurant and neon doing much of the work.

Eventually, the promise on the sign met its exception. The La Cienega Ships closed at 4 p.m. on August 30, 1995. The familiar dining room fell quiet, ending another of the city’s distinctive coffee-shop stops.

Ships Coffee Shop
Los Angeles, CA
Photo copyright Gerald M. Panter

The building was later demolished, but part of the roadside identity outlasted it. The sign’s metal framework was reused for subsequent businesses, eventually carrying the Matrix auto-repair name. The Ships lettering and dramatic lightning bolt disappeared, leaving a much different announcement above the former restaurant property.

The lunch counter crowd dwindles during the day. A patron reads the daily paper as the waitress looks on. If only time stood still...

Ships, La Cienega closed its doors in 1995. However the memory of its marquee and modern architecture is instilled with all who have had to the opportunity to visit this classic treasure.

UPDATE: Ships Coffee Shop at La Cienega and Olympic is gone, following its August 1995 closure and subsequent demolition. Its old sign framework found another use, though the neon display that made the corner so memorable was removed. The tabletop toasters and late-night coffee belong to the restaurant’s past, along with one more space-age stop that once lit up the Los Angeles roadside. 10-26

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Ships Restaurant, La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles
Architect: Martin Stern Jr.
1963 to 1995

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