Los Angeles has a wealth of Googie architecture scattered throughout the city, from the Theme building by LAX to Bob's Big Boy in Burbank. Some have stood the test of time, while others, like Santa Monica's beloved Penguin Coffee Shop, closed and became something else entirely (a dentist office, in Penguin's case). Now Los Angeles Magazine is reporting that Penguin's is coming back to life, as Mel's Drive-In owner Steven Weiss plans to transform it into a Mel's by May 2017.
The vintage building at the corner of Lincoln and Olympic was originally designed by architects Armet & Davis (Norms, Johnie's, Pann's) in 1959, and served the Santa Monica community with coffee, pancakes, malts and burgers until 1991, when it became a dentist's office. While today's iteration of the structure features low ceilings and beige drywall, Weiss plans to restore it to its original glory: high ceilings, colorful terrazzo floors and big windows, along with a juice bar and phone charging stations at each table.
Weiss plans to incorporate plenty of vegetarian items at the 24-hour restaurant, along with his grandma's chicken soup and grass-fed burgers. The re-opening will take on a symbolic gesture, too—next year is Mel's 70th anniversary, and Weiss hopes to celebrate the milestone in the new Santa Monica location.
Did you visit Penguin's as a kid? Are you excited about it become a Mel's? Let us know in the comments below!
Want more? Sign up here to stay in the know.