Chateau Bleu, One of Wildwood’s Remaining Doo-Wop Motels, Threatened with Demolition
The Chateau Bleu. Image via Wikipedia
From Jersey Digs: The Wildwoods became known in the midcentury for their quirky motels and rock-and-roll music venues. But what remains of that history has been vanishing due to the demolition of its most beloved landmarks. More than 200 so-called doo-wop motels are gone.
The latest motel that could be lost is the Chateau Bleu, with its heart-shaped swimming pool. Built in 1959, it is one of only two motels in the Wildwoods listed on the National Register.
Allston Landmark Twin Donuts Is Closing Down After 70 Years
Twin Donuts. Erika Adams/Eater Boston
From Eater Boston: Twin Donuts, a legendary diner located at 501 Cambridge Street in Allston, is shutting down after 70 years.
A message from ownership circulating online says that the diner’s last day of service will be Sunday, March 23, and the diner will close up shop the following day.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve our Allston/Brighton community for the past 25 years and your business has been truly appreciated by our family all these years,” the message reads. Reached by phone, an employee at the diner confirmed the news and attributed the closure to slowing business.
Historic Pacific Dining Car under demolition after early-morning fire
A firefighter sprays water at the scene after a fire burned the old Pacific Dining Car restaurant in Los Angeles. (Hon Wing Chiu / For The Times)
From the LA Times: A blaze severely damaged Westlake’s historic Pacific Dining Car restaurant Thursday morning, leading to demolition of much of the structure at the site later that afternoon.
The blaze was the second fire reported at the shuttered eatery in less than a year.
Roughly 100 Los Angeles firefighters responded to the fire in the 1300 block of West 6th Street. The call came in at 6:53 a.m., and first responders reached the facility at 7:06 a.m.
Once inside, firefighters determined the fire had started in the attic, damaging it along with the roof of the structure. The building was vacant, and there were no injuries.
The History of the Iconic Sam the Record Man in Toronto
Store in 1982. Photo: City of Toronto Archives
From blogTO: When it comes to legendary Toronto retail landmarks, few could truly rival the cultural significance of Sam the Record Man, where stepping into the store felt like you were entering the heart of the world’s vast musical catalog, and the knowledgeable staff there could effortlessly find you any record — no matter how obscure — with just a few hums of a tune.
A staple of the city’s music scene for half a century, the iconic record store became much more than just a regular place to buy albums, it became a gathering spot, a symbol, and eventually, an institution, with its towering neon sign of two spinning discs above Yonge Street.
Iconic Bill’s Take Out sign returns with full restoration in Santa Maria | Photos
The restored neon Bill’s Take Out sign was fully operational Friday night in Santa Maria. Randy De La Peña, Contributor
From the Santa Maria Times: The iconic neon sign that has stood for decades over Bill’s Take Out in Santa Maria, CA, returned Thursday thanks to the expertise of neon tube bender Larry Desario, sign painter Aaron Cribbs, and Southpaw Sign Co. in Oceano.
Bill’s Take Out quickly became a beloved dining spot in Santa Maria when it originally opened in the 1950s at the intersection of North Broadway and West El Camino Street.
Bright times ahead for the cult Polish museum that revived the magic of neon
The museum draws visitors from around the world to admire its glowing collection of vintage signs. Photo: AP/Bartłomiej Zborowski
From TVP World: For over a decade, Warsaw’s Neon Muzeum has been a beacon of creativity, drawing visitors from around the world to admire its glowing collection of vintage signs.
Founded by Polish-British duo Ilona Karwińska and David S. Hill, the museum has played a key role in preserving Poland’s post-war neon heritage.
While Warsaw’s first neon sign premiered in 1926, it was the post-Stalinist thaw that saw these shimmering objects become a firmly embedded feature of the urban landscape.
Playing a salient role in the government’s attempt to reconcile socialist principles with consumerism, the nationwide campaign to ‘neon-ize’ Poland was part of a bold project to enliven the new-look socialist cities that had risen from the ashes of WWII.