Donut Kitchen (Gone)
San Gabriel, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The Donut Kitchen always seemed a bit of an anomaly... sitting alongside
the busy boulevard, dwarfed by fast food mega joints and sprouting up
strip malls. Yet, the Donut Kitchen went along, merrily doing its business
selling donuts out of its little stand. Unfortunately, this little stand is long gone.
Kindles Donuts Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Norm V.
That enormous rooftop donut gives Kindle’s Donuts quite an introduction along Normandie Avenue. The darker top looks like somebody already dipped it in coffee. Finding a cup large enough would be another matter.
Built in 1950, this was Russell Wendell’s first Big Do-Nut Drive-In. The chain put giant steel-and-gunite donuts above small roadside stands, including the location that became Randy’s in Inglewood. Gary Kindle purchased this shop in 1977 and gave it the name that stuck.
UPDATE: Kindle’s continues operating at Normandie Avenue and Century Boulevard, with its giant rooftop donut still announcing the specialty. 10-26
Donut King
Gardena, CA Photo courtesy David Ferdig
A donut larger than the parked car below gives Donut King in Gardena quite a roadside introduction. Apparently the little stand needed something considerably bigger overhead to announce breakfast. Even motorists who weren’t hungry had a reason to look over.
Built in 1954 as Big Do-Nut Drive-In No. 3, the Western Avenue shop was part of Russell Wendell’s chain of stands topped by enormous concrete donuts. It shares that history with the locations that became Kindle’s and Randy’s. The buildings were compact, but their rooftop advertisements made sure they didn’t disappear into the commercial scenery.
Donut King
Gardena, CA Photo courtesy David Ferdig
The earlier Donut King lettering and later Donut King II name mark different appearances of the same shop. The giant donut carried the business announcement above the roof, while the windows below handled the actual breakfast orders. Quite a division of labor for a little roadside stand.
Yellow walls and green trim brought a particularly cheerful chapter, making the place look part donut shop and part lemonade stand. A lemon donut would have fit right in. The exterior changed again around 2012, when yellow gave way to beige, but the enormous pastry stayed overhead. The building also housed Angel Food Donuts at one point, adding another name to its long donut-selling history.
This Donut King looks like it just got a recent paint job. Part donut shop, part lemonade stand (at least from the looks of the colors), this roadside delight makes you wish for a good lemon donut.
Donut King II Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy David Ferdig
Through those changes, the low roof, service windows, and oversized donut kept the familiar roadside arrangement recognizable. Fortunately, the pastries handed to customers were easier to take home than the one doing the advertising. That rooftop model would certainly complicate ordering a dozen.
UPDATE: The shop continues operating as Donut King II at 15032 S. Western Avenue in Gardena. Both archived views show this location, whose giant rooftop donut survives. 10-26
Donut Star
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy David Ferdig
A little corner building and a projecting sign give Donut Star a familiar neighborhood appearance. Lettering above the windows supplies another reminder of what’s inside. Apparently there was little chance of mistaking this place for a hardware store.
Its modest scale recalls the independent donut stops that made breakfast a quick detour along Southern California’s commercial streets. For sign hunters, even a small shop could earn a place on the itinerary.
UPDATE: The exact location and current status of this photographed Donut Star remain unconfirmed. 10-26
Circus Donuts Torrance, CA Photo courtesy David Ferdig
A striped roof, metal pennants, and a cartoon baker give Circus Donuts a carnival introduction. Fortunately, the main attraction fits in a paper bag.
Located on Carson Street in Torrance, the shop’s curved red-and-white roof treatment imitates a circus tent. Its oversized lettering and playful decorations turn a simple breakfast stop into something worth noticing from the road. No admission ticket needed.
UPDATE: Circus Donuts continues operating at 1500 W. Carson Street in Torrance, retaining its distinctive striped exterior. 10-26
Mitchell's Drive-thru Donuts (Rem.)
Temple City, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Stacked cylindrical letters gave Mitchell’s Drive-thru Donuts a marquee with more personality than the usual flat sign. Each letter had its own section, making the breakfast announcement quite a construction.
The drive-thru kept things convenient for motorists, while the sign gave roadside enthusiasts another reason to slow down. Unfortunately, the distinctive letters were removed and replaced with backlit plastic. The message remained, but much of the character disappeared.
UPDATE: The original marquee is gone. Mitchell’s Donuts continues operating on Valley Boulevard in El Monte, a likely match for this archived shop previously captioned as Temple City. 10-26
Kindles Donuts
Donut King
Donut King
Donut King II
Donut Star
Circus Donuts
Mitchell's Drive-thru Donuts (Rem.)
