7136 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS March 31, 1993 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS DOWNEY'S ORIGINAL McDONALD'S; man who was so impressed with the ability of I bring all of this to the attention of my col­ PRESERVING A HISTORIC PLACE the McDonald brothers to serve quality food leagues because I think that, all too often, we fast that he bought the franchise and made it think of history as being something that hap­ HON. STEPHEN HORN an international giant. pened a century or more ago. Too often, his­ OF CALIFORNIA As the Los Angeles Conservancy has noted, toric buildings or landmarks have been torn IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the golden arched, red-and-white fast food down, only to be recreated at some later point stand was the prototype for a way of business by those who have, too late, realized their sig­ Wednesday, March 31, 1993 and way of living that changed America and nificance. Mr. HORN. Mr. Speaker, one of America's the world. Located at the corner of Florence We have in Downey and in the Los Angeles truly historic landmarks-one which should be Avenue and Lakewood Boulevard in Downey, Conservancy people of foresight who realize of interest to the President himself-is in jeop­ it remained independently run by the original what they have and know what a significant ardy as a result of corporate shortsightedness. franchisees until 1990, when its lease was part of our culture-and the world's-it has The last of the original McDonald's restaurants purchased by the McDonald's Corp. been. They need help if they are to convince is targeted for closing by corporate executives. The current lease expires in August, and a those who do not have that sense of vision They apparently have little or no awareness of corporate spokeswoman says she does not that they should not make an irreversible deci­ their firm's history or of the special role in the know when the location will serve its last burg­ sion which would almost certainly be regretted American culture played by this small res­ er. According to an article by Natalie Shore of later. taurant, located in the city of Downey in Cali­ the Long Beach Press-Telegram, McDonald's At a time when a child born in the second fornia's 38th Congressional District. officials have indicated that they are commit­ half of this century-one who has repeatedly This is not the first time that a lack of vision ted to preserving the 60-foot neon sign that and unabashedly demonstrated the important has plagued a corporate giant or jeopardized showcases Speedee, the chubby, twinkling role McDonald's plays in his life-sits in the a symbol or historic landmark. Here in Wash­ chef who is the restaurant's original mascot. White House, it would be a sad irony if a ington, DC, it was only through determined ef­ What they propose to do is to relocate the shortsighted decision forced the closure of this forts on the part of preservationists that the sign to a newer outlet in the city while closing historic example of American entrepreneur­ Greyhound Bus Depot with its art deco design the original restaurant itself. ship. was saved. The historic Willard Hotel, in which Downey community leaders and the Los An­ For the benefit of my colleagues, I insert Lincoln stayed prior to his inauguration, almost geles Conservancy, though, are fighting to Councilwoman Lawrence's letter and the arti­ fell victim to the wrecker's ball. Many cor­ preserve this cultural icon. "I don't think peo­ cles to which I made reference in the RECORD: ple making the final decision on this know how porate symbols have been retired, often to be CITY OF DOWNEY, CA, resurrected later by more savvy executives important this McDonald's is, not just for Dow­ February 22, 1993. who recognize the positive historic draw these ney but for Southern California and clear Ms. ANITA FAUNCE, symbols have for consumers. across the country," said Downey City Coun­ Marketing Manager, McDonald's Corp., Wood­ But it is one thing to bring Tony the Tiger cilwoman Joyce Lawrence. "it's 'SO's nostalgia land Hills, CA. out of retirement to sell gasoline. It is quite an­ for some people, part of our commercial his­ DEAR Ms. FAUNCE: I have been anxious to other to try to resurrect a building which has tory, the forerunner of most of our fast-food follow up with you about discussions I par­ been torn down because of a wrongheaded business." ticipated in between our Director of Commu­ nity & Economic Development Art Rangel decision based on an erroneous analysis of An article by Gerald Faris in the Los Ange­ les Times makes clear the importance of pre­ and John Dawson, Real Estate Manager for what is important to the so-called bottom line. McDonald's Corl')oration, regarding the fate I fear this is the challenge facing community serving this McDonald's. Its two predecessors, of the historic Downey McDonald's Drive-in leaders in Downey and officials of the Los An­ the outlet that introduced the golden arches­ at 10207 Lakewood Blvd. geles Conservancy, who are united in oppos­ a converted car hop drive-in in San I have heard from our city staff that we ing the decision by regional executives of the Bernardino-and the second, in Phoenix, have will not be meeting with you and I am dis­ McDonald's Corp. to close the historic ham­ been demolished. While others remain-one is appointed. In addition to sharing my respect burger stand which played a seminal role in a McDonald's museum-only the one in Dow­ for the McDonald's Corporation, which has our evolving American culture. ney serves burgers today as it did 40 years grown into a commercial cornerstone of ago. American life and culture, I also wanted to Why do these McDonald's executives want talk with you about what I consider to be to close down this historic outlet? Incredibly, Councilwoman Lawrence, in a letter to some overlooked advertising and marketing because it is too successful. According to a McDonald's executives, tried to make clear the opportunities for this unique restaurant that company spokeswoman, it is too small to sense of significance historians place on this has so long been a part of our community- modernize. "We can't offer them the conven­ landmark. "it is important to me that you un­ 40 years this August! ience of drive-through or (indoor) sit-down din­ derstand that interest in this unique business It is important to me that you understand ing space. It doesn't make good business is not a local whim, but reflects a growing na­ that interest in this unique business is not a sense to keep the restaurant open." tionwide appreciation for McDonald's commer­ local whim, but reflects a growing nation­ I could not disagree more. This is a truly cial history, its architectural significance-and wide appreciation for McDonald's commer­ even its neon as an art form," Lawrence said. cial history. its architectural significance­ historic landmark, not unlike the Brome-Seltzer and even its neon as an art form. While the Tower in Baltimore or the Chrysler Building in She noted that in 1984, the drive-in became Downey drive-in was not developed as a part New York City. This small fast-food restaurant the first hamburger stand in America to be eli­ of Ray Kroc's visionary fast food empire, it can and should serve as a symbol of what gible for the National Register of Historic most certainly had to have been one of the McDonald's has represented in the lifestyle of Places, the U.S. Department of the Interior's inspirations that led to his interest in the millions of Americans-and others throughout list of architecturally and culturally significant first place. Mr. Kroc retained the distinctive, the world-in these past several decades. structures. It has been profiled in a segment of exuberant architecture for his own res­ It was in 1953 that the brothers Richard and "Smithsonian World," a Public Broadcasting taurants;for many years. Mac McDonald opened the Downey McDon­ System series, and has been featured promi­ The J{akewood Boulevard McDonald's file in our Downey History Center archives is ald's, the oldest original red-and-white McDon­ nently in a book by Alan Hess, "Googie: Fif­ about 3 inches thick, with newspaper clip­ ald's in existence. It was the third restaurant of ties Coffee Shop Architecture," as well as pings and articles from popular magazines what would later become a worldwide empire being mentioned in "Orange Roofs, Golden and scholarly journals from across the coun­ under Ray Kroc, the milkshake machine sales- Arches," by Philip Langdon. try. As you may know, this drive-in is fea- e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. March 31, 1993 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 7137 tured prominently in a book by Alan Hess, say. Faunce declined to comment on the pro­ seum-only the one in Downey is still serv­ "Googie: Fifties Coffee Shop Architecture," ductivity of the site. ing burgers. as well as being mentioned in "Orange Roofs, The lease is due to expire in August, but Downey officials say the problem is eco­ Golden Arches" by Philip Langdon.