It may very well be the tip of an period for a spot that got here to outline a sure architectural and meals aesthetic for Los Angeles.
If all goes in accordance with plan, the enduring sawtooth “Norms” espresso store signal on La Cienega Boulevard — certainly one of L.A.’s few remaining examples of Googie espresso store structure of the midcentury — would get replaced by “Canes.” Goodbye to the retro diner identified for steak and eggs, good day to a brand new outpost for Elevating Cane’s fast-food hen strips.
The opposite Norms places round Southern California would nonetheless function beneath the proposal. However the La Cienega location is iconic. It was the topic of a well-known Ed Ruscha portray, “Norm’s, La Cienega, On Fire” and was granted historic landmark standing for its space-age seems to be so related to post-war L.A.
The restaurant group that owns Elevating Cane’s — a fast-food hen chain — owns the area that homes the enduring Norms location and plans to alter the placement to a Elevating Cane’s in 2027, when Norms’ lease of the area ends.
“Raising Cane’s plans to keep the legacy of Norm’s alive and maintain — forever — the iconic Googie-style architecture made famous by Armét & Davis when we begin improvements to restore the property and serve craveable chicken finger meals to the L.A. Community,” Elevating Cane’s representatives mentioned in a press release to The Occasions.
The corporate shared a rendering of the brand new plan for the area with The Occasions. The principle alteration is the change of the enduring sawtooth pennant neon signal to say “Cane’s” as an alternative of Norms.
Norms has an present lease at its La Cienega location till December 2026.
(Elevating Cane’s)
As a result of the Norms location has been a historic L.A. monument since 2015, Elevating Cane’s has to current their plan earlier than the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Fee. It’s set to current to the fee on Dec. 5.
However some Angelenos are pushing again in opposition to altering the restaurant — even when Elevating Cane’s doesn’t disturb the positioning’s architectural construction.
“The idea of transforming Norms from a sit-down restaurant, family friendly, affordable to a place to go to get fried chicken is astonishing to me,” mentioned Kim Cooper, one of many two folks behind Esotouric’s Secret Los Angeles.
Cooper found the change as she appeared by way of the upcoming agenda for the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Fee. She observed Elevating Cane’s was looking for to alter the utilization of the area.
“It is so much more than a building. This is a place that has been open 24 hours a day… Norms is part of people’s lives and has been for 67 years, which in L.A. is basically a millennium,” Cooper mentioned.
Cooper inspired Angelenos to point out as much as the Cultural Heritage Fee’s December listening to to precise their displeasure at Norms changing into a Elevating Cane’s.
Norms La Cienega was designed by Louis Armet and Eldon Davis within the well-known California “Googie” type in 1957.
Ed Ruscha, “Norm’s, La Cienega, on Fire,” 1964. Oil and pencil on canvas. From the artist’s retrospective, “Ed Ruscha / Now Then,” on the Museum of Trendy Artwork (MoMA) in New York.
(Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Occasions)
The restaurant’s Googie type is a futuristic structure mode that started off of Southern California and featured sharp geometrical shapes, sweeping curves and brilliant, generally neon, lights. The type was typically used on gasoline stations and low retailers.
“Norms is in the same realm as the Manns Chinese Theater and Panns and the Hollywood Sign. It’s so iconic to Los Angeles,” mentioned Damian Sullivan, a tv producer and historian of “roadside” structure.
The primary Norms was opened in Hollywood by the eponymous former proprietor, Norm Roybark, in 1949, with the enduring La Cienega location first opening its doorways in 1957. Roybark bought the corporate to CapitalSpring in 2015.
The chain at present has 24 places in Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange counties and is even opening a spot in Las Vegas.
Norms didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
