Downtown Covina
Covina, CA
Photo courtesy John King

A little neon can change the whole look of a street after sundown. The Downtown Covina marker puts on a colorful welcome in this October 2010 view, pointing the way toward the shops and restaurants along Citrus Avenue. With its glowing script and promise of “Food · Shops · Fun,” the sign gives motorists a reason to pull over and spend some time wandering the old downtown blocks.

The surrounding streets have also spent time playing another town on television. Beginning in July 1999, downtown Covina became a filming location for Roswell, with Citrus Avenue storefronts helping Southern California stand in for New Mexico. Visitors looking for the Crashdown Cafe might recognize a little more of the neighborhood than expected.

There’s a spooky connection nearby, too. The Covina Center for the Performing Arts attracted enough reports of unusual encounters to become the subject of a 2011 episode of the paranormal series From Beyond. Whether any unseen theatergoers actually linger inside is another question, but the stories add a little atmosphere to an evening stroll through downtown.

UPDATE: Covina’s historic downtown is now promoted as the Citrus Avenue District, with dining, shopping, and entertainment continuing along the old commercial corridor. The nearby performing arts center opened in October 2007, adding another evening destination among the storefronts and neon. 10-26