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Taco Bell saving its first location from demolition, moving it from Downey to Irvine

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X

XiaNaphryz

LATIN, MATRIPEDICABUS, DO YOU SPEAK IT
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bell-692398-taco-food.html

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Taco Bell is saving its first fast-food restaurant from the wrecking ball by relocating the iconic 400-square-foot food stand from Downey to its corporate headquarters in Irvine.

“This is arguably the most important restaurant in our company’s history,” said Taco Bell Chief executive Brian Niccol. “When we heard about the chance of it being demolished, we had to step in. We owe that to our fans; we owe that to Glen Bell.”

Earlier this year, new development for the vacant Firestone Boulevard site triggered demolition plans for the nostalgic building, dubbed “Numero Uno.” An uproar in the community followed. Taco Bell remained relatively quiet, though it did encourage the #SaveTacoBell campaign on social media.

Behind the scenes, however, the chain had been scheming for months to save the walk-up structure, famous for its adobe-style archways.

The structure's 45-mile overnight journey begins Thursday at 10:30 p.m. It should garner much attention as it traverses the cities of Downey, Norwalk, Cerritos, La Palma, Buena Park, Anaheim, Orange and Tustin. Throughout the four to five hour trip, Taco Bell is encouraging fans to follow the historic relocation via a live webcam.

The bedazzled structure will be visible as it is trucked through parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties, the company said: “We’re lighting this thing like the Fourth of July.”
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Long Beach-based We Are The Next, a preservation group, has been working with Taco Bell on the relocation effort.

“This building isn't designed by a famous architect, and it's not particularly beautiful in the conventional sense. But it does demonstrate how even the most ordinary buildings can tell tremendous stories,” said Katie Rispoli, the preservation group’s executive director.

Taco Bell said the building will remain at its headquarters for storage until its future use is determined.

Marisa Thalberg, chief brand engagement officer, said the fast-food chain will turn to social media to ask fans what the company should do with the building.

“This isn’t a decision that should be made in a boardroom, but a social experience that can allow our biggest fans to truly be a part of Taco Bell history,” Thalberg said.

Bell, along with Ray Kroc of McDonald’s, Carl Karcher of Carl’s Jr. and Harry Snyder of In-N-Out Burger, are considered fast-food pioneers. Their innovative takeout counters and drive-throughs catered to the growing Southern California car culture.
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H

Himynameischris

Member
Would be cool if they restored it and built a small museum around it. Just have a limited menu like back in the day since I'm sure the kitchen would be small anyways maybe even cook and make things like they used too. (They would actually boil beans/cook meat/cut veggies on site)
 
D

dog$

Hates quality gaming
I'm honestly glad to read that it has been preserved.

Perhaps the best thing they could do would be to find a location near their HQ and turn it into a franchise museum of sorts. That may sound preposterous, but this is what has been done with Ray Kroc's first McDonald's in Des Plaines. It could work.

Himynameischris said:
Would be cool if they restored it and built a small museum around it.
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Well, thankfully, not preposterous to everyone.
 
B

bjork

Member
It's been awhile since I've been to Irvine, but I recall that building having a huge-ass parking lot. Just run some plumbing and shit to it and open for business. I'm sure Taco Bell can afford whatever the zoning fees would be.
 
davepoobond

davepoobond

you can't put a price on sparks
soulless corporation saves parts of its soul in soulless marketing campaign expenditure #savetacobell (this shouldnt even be a hashtag)
 
T

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
Under $.50 for a burrito...

*tears* Damn you inflation!
 
Wheeljack539

Wheeljack539

Member
Nice to see it preserved, kinda sad to see it go but's its ok. There's another Taco Bell across the street in front of Home Depot.
 
T

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Veritigo_X said:
To think there was once a time where Americans didn't know how to pronounce "burrito."
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IIRC the very first Taco Bell customer pronounced 'taco' as 'take-oh'.
 
D

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
OnPoint said:
"we owe that to our fans"

I mean, do "Taco Bell fans" care? Who identifies as a "Taco Bell fan"?
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There was this one skinny dude in my 7th grade health class I remember was something like obsessed with Taco Bell. It was maybe more evident since my Health Period was after Lunch, but he'd almost always have food from Taco Bell before the period started and would eat it before class/at the start of class. No idea how he was so goddamn skinny back then. And some raised debates if Taco Bell was any good/shitty from this.

Anyways, outside of eating it all the time, he would talk about it and how much he loved taco bell actively, and I will forever remember an exchange he had with the health teacher that concluded with the health teacher asking him, "Do you ever wander what's in that Taco Bell food?," to which he responds, "Hell no, I just love the hell out of it, I don't want to know what's in it."
 
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