Image McDonald's Phoenix 1954
Photo by Bob Dreste
Uploaded on flickr by futuraciudad
If we were to draw a venn diagram of fast food fanatics and architecture fans, we'd imagine the intersection would be pretty narrow. But for the three or four of you who are, EatingLA alerts us to an upcoming tour of McDonald's restaurants in Southern California this sunday:
Sites will include the colonial home of the brothers, store #7 in Pomona, the moody industrial machine shop/museum where many fast food innovations were created and the 3rd McDonald's ever built, the landmark Downey store opened in 1953. Invited guests include former carhop Mildred "Skeeter" Kobzeff, early franchisee Jack R. Widmeyer and neon man Ray Quiel. Rare films and still photos of these early days will be screened on the bus. and lest you think the organizers have never heard of Eric Schlosser or McGlobalization, fear not:
Yes, we know FAST FOOD NATION, we know McDonald's owns over 28,000 restaurants, is the nation's largest purchaser of beef, pork and potatoes, is the largest owner of retail property in the U.S. and that McGlobalization can be a bad thing. We'll see Southern California before all that and learn about the orange groves, hot dog stands and homemade shacks that paved the way for this Modern world. see, they heard of it - they just don't care. Cost for this little bit of nostalgic myth-making: $50.