Like California, Arizona had it's share of great old Googie and mid-century modern architecture.
Here we have a postcard that advertised Helsing's Restaurant in Phoenix. The card says that it was located on the famous Central Avenue, in the heart of Phoenix. I checked the
View Larger Map">Google Map and they had a street view which lead me to believe that it's no longer there. In any case this was classic coffee shop modern, possibly designed by Armet & Davis from the look of it.
Before there was a Stovall's Space Age in Anaheim, there was Stovall's Space Age Lodge in Gila Bend, AZ
Elements of design such as the geodesic dome by the pool, use of aluminum for rails and fences and the epoxy resin ornament-trimmed exteriors and room interiors would later be echoed at the fantastic motels that Al Stovall built in Anaheim surrounding Disneyland during the 1960s - 1970s. You have got to love that flying saucer sign.
The plate folded rooflines are great, especially on the old restaurant building.
The good news is that this place is still in business and although the rooms have changed, there seems to be much of the old Space Age theme still intact.
3 comments:
The Googie coffee shop takes me back to my childhood (1970s), when those wonderfully wonky coffee shops (zigzag or arched roofs, sputnik-esqe decorations and neon signage) were a common (if aging) sight. Too bad so many have been torn down or neutered into blander structures. Helsings reminds me of a coffee shop called Pann's. It's in (or near) Inglewood, Ca. Perhaps you've blogged about it yourself.
Yes indeed. Here is a bit about Pann's on the POTF website.
http://65.254.59.194/~vstapf/panns/intro.html
Sure enough! And designed by Armet & Davis, just as you guessed Helsing's was.
Post a Comment