The Death of the Formosa Cafe (maybe not!)

I haven’t been there since I left L.A. over twenty years ago, but my heart is absolutely broken hearing this news. Words can’t describe my anger and sadness. I'd rather have seen it burn down than to suffer this indignity.

http://www.eater.com/forums/los-angeles/2015/7/27/9049691/everyone-hates-the-new-formosa-cafe-remodel

History destroyed
http://youtu.be/iw-YGM1veE8

Classic Velvets
by Song Shen

[ Edited by: Okolehao 2015-07-29 14:37 ]

[ Edited by: Okolehao 2015-07-29 14:40 ]

[ Edited by: Okolehao 2015-07-29 14:59 ]

[ Edited by: Okolehao 2015-08-23 22:56 ]

You meant "Death", right?

We got to go there about 6 years ago. Saw some recent interior photo's beyond bad from how cool it use to look. It is now a WRECKED Bar for sure )-:

Spent a lot of time there, one of the places that welcomed Punks back in the 1970s
sad days.

if the Formosa needed a new direction I wish they could have clued in on the tiki movement and made a commitment to a fine menu of tropical drinks. Hell, little old Tiki Ti's is just up the road and they'vs been turning away crowds for years. Forbidden Island is a modern version of the kind of bar that the Formosa could have been. Dark, brooding, and filled with stories.

Used in the movie L.A. Confidential
https://youtu.be/RriqsUo5TzI

We can't figure out why any of the employees didn't say anything. Did everyone get fired before the reopening? (Even that should have made some notice.) Wonder if all the photos and lamps and decor just got junked? The soft opening was Sunday, so construction probably has been done for a while. If we had a little notice we could have at least done some dumpster diving...

I checked online and the Formosa Café is on the West Hollywood Historic resources inventory list. I'm not sure what kind of protections this designation gives to buildings but doesn't it cover any issues that are part of the interior of buildings?

The Formosa location shoot
from the movie L.A. Confidential
http://youtu.be/RriqsUo5TzI

[ Edited by: Okolehao 2015-08-01 00:29 ]

On 2015-07-29 23:04, Okolehao wrote:
if the Formosa needed a new direction I wish they could have clued in on the tiki movement

Maybe they did once upon a time?

Nope, it was always a Chinese restaurant
but like so many Chinese restaurants back in the 50s & 60s
they served up tropical cocktails.

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2015-08-05 10:55 ]

Another example of how preservation is an uphill battle. Some years ago, a photographer friend of mine from the music video days led the movement to save the Formosa from being torn down, and they succeeded. And now this! It is impossible to monitor these things on a continuous basis. :(

I spent many of my early Hollywood evenings there in the 80s, enjoying veteran bartender Lindy's Martinis and admiring their liquor decanter collection. A more authentic Hollywood watering hole cannot be imagined. I owned the great red menu, but have no idea where it went now.

Now this thumbnail-sized image is the only visual that one can find of it. What gets me is we are not talking some unknown suburb like Whittier here: This was classic HOLLYWOOD, a world-famous place !?? - and just like classic Las Vegas, it gets destroyed!

Cam someone post a current interior pic of the DAMAGES )-:

Can't find any. Ran into Rocky Schenck last night in the line to the Korla Pandit docu - he was the one that had spearheaded the successful conservation efforts years ago - and someone had a "Before & After" on their I-phone, don't know from where.

To my embarrasment, I expressed my condolences to Rocky - but he didn't even know about the remodel! Oi vey, what a shock.

Here's a great history of a great place that lasted sooo long - it should have out-lived us:

https://federicodecalifornia.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/youre-nothin-but-a-cheap-imitation-of-lana-turner-the-legendary-formosa-cafe-•-1929/

Esotouric posted on Facebook that after the conservation fight nobody filed the needed paperwork.

http://us9.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b66e7337c52f4fda66146f8ed&id=e9a9a53943

...How had this happened? Wasn't the Formosa on the short list of official landmarks of West Hollywood, and thus protected from insensitive alteration? Shouldn't there have been some warning if it was at risk of such an extreme remodel?

These questions nagged at our friends Kate Eggert and Krisy K. Gosney, the dedicated preservationists behind West Hollywood Heritage Project. So they started digging into the Mystery of the Mucked Up Formosa, and what they found was truly shocking.

Because it turns out the Formosa wasn't quite the landmark that local preservationists--or even the city of West Hollywood--said it was. The previously-endangered building had been "saved" from redevelopment decades earlier, but apparently everyone involved in the preservation campaign was so busy celebrating their victory that they failed to actually file the paperwork required to codify the matter in law.

Despite this lack of any official status, the city proudly claimed the Formosa as a treasured landmark. And so, it wasn't on anyone's radar as a place that needed to be watched carefully, lest foolish owners destroy the treasure in their care.

From The West Hollywood Heritage Project
http://westhollywoodheritageproject.com/blog/2015/8/5/the-formosa-cafe-update-on-recent-interior-changes
'The Development Agreement states that the Formosa Café building and red car be treated similar to a designated building, in that it is protected and requires any changes to be approved by the city. The interior may not be protected though because West Hollywood Local Cultural Resources usually only specify exteriors as protected. However, since the Formosa Café is protected then any changes to the exterior and interior need to be approved by the city prior to making the changes.

The West Hollywood Heritage Project is currently verifying if the interior of the Formosa Café is or is not protected under the Comprehensive Development Plan for the site.

However, the West Hollywood Heritage Project has verified that the city does not have any record of permits pulled for interior changes, or change of tenant notification. The city has referred the issue to their Code Compliance Division to investigate.'

*Any remodeling done without permits is a major no no. I'd love to see the place red tagged and the owners made to restore the interior.

THANKS Bigbro, TikilongB & Okolehao for the story links & info. Seems like a dumb business move by the ownership aside from the legal development agreement issues. Now its a real Hollywood movie front with a fake interior.

A final toast.

Filmed at the Formosa-
The Blanks
http://youtu.be/WA26qeLJ2Ug

Classic Velvets
by Song Shen

[ Edited by: Okolehao 2015-08-09 14:26 ]

Hey everyone, the Formosa isn't dead yet. I live nearby and was horrified when I walked in and saw the remodel. It was so bothersome that I reached out to the owners to see what could be done. Essentially the new guys didn't know what they had done. They had to put in new walls to erridicate mold but didn't understand the history of everything inside.

Good new is, it didn't get thrown away. I am now involved with bringing it back and rebuilt. We have about 2 weeks to get it done and I could use your help. I'm trying to get the antique Chinese lanterns repaired as pieces are missing. Know of anyone.? The backbar is being rebuilt, if anyone is good at that and wants to volunteer some time, please connect with me.

My name is Stacy and I've set up the email address of [email protected]. Let's get her back where she needs to be!

Stacy, that's rockin' good news, I think you've come to the right place to ask for both help and support. I'm on the East Coast, but wish you and your team all the best. I'm looking forward to a success story, and then some great photos.

Cheers!

Oh, so no death as of yet. Good news.

[ Edited by: tikigreg 2015-08-24 06:51 ]

owners didn't understand the history ?? if I'm not mistaken, the grandson was the current owner when i was there in 2010 and i assure you he had plenty to say about the history of the place. in fact they were embroiled in a lawsuit with a place here in illinios that supposedly stole the name formosa cafe and copied the look of the formosa cafe almost completely. when i heard the bad news i couldn't believe that he of all people would let this happen to his place. Are these new owners now ?? a lot can happen in a short time so maybe something changed since i was there last.

The grandson, Vince, is still the owner and has ridden the tough economy out over the last several years and after meeting with him today, that is not about to end. Everything that was part of the Formosa was lovingly stored and the resurrection of this wonder history will continue. Stay tuned for more good and exciting news to come. Then you can all plan your vacations to Los Angeles and visit her again and again for years to come.

I will keep you posted with updates!

[ Edited by: Kitschykitty 2015-08-27 20:20 ]

http://la.eater.com/2015/10/23/9604256/formosa-cafe-remodel-news-brg-details

Kevin

From Los Angeles Eater

Formosa Cafe Wants to Return to Its Former Glory With

Good news for conservationists.

Earlier this year, West Hollywood’s beloved Formosa Cafe came under attack after word spread that new management had come in with plans to overhaul the place without much regard towards the history of the restaurant. Well as it turns out that company, BRG (as in Broseph’s Restaurant Group, responsible for such bro-tastic spots as Brick + Mortar in Santa Monica and Open Air Kitchen + Bar), is now no longer involved.

Apparently Formosa owner Vince Jung and the BRG team, who had operational and management control, realized pretty quickly they weren't seeing eye-to-eye on the future of the storied haunt, which has played host to endless Hollywood luminaries over the decades. The neighborhood and conservationists had plenty to say as well, hammering the joint for tearing away much of the iconic photography and old school touches that made the place so beloved.

Well now BRG is gone (apparently the untangling took a while), and Jung and his team are more committed than ever to returning the place to its sense of former glory, while also cleaning it up and modernizing for the next generation to enjoy. Most of the 200+ photographs from the restaurant are being rehabbed and returned to their original locations, and the none-too-classy mural inside is being painted over and replaced with an original mirror as we speak.

The Formosa team will also be looking for help during the rehab, namely in the form of a ticketed Halloween party called the Dead Hollywood Halloween and Red Booth Fundraiser. The idea is to use the ticket funds and any donated money to help pay to reupholster the red vinyl booths, a staple of the look of the Formosa Cafe since essentially day one.

Other than that, things will progress slowly, as there’s a lot to touch up and redo inside. But it’s good to see one of Los Angeles’ most revered spaces being returned to the glory it once knew, without the help of a management company not exactly known for their soft touch.

bump

Are there any updates on what has been happening at the Formosa?

From Los Angeles Magazine:

EXCLUSIVE: The Formosa Cafe is Coming Back
The landmark has new owners who plan to resurrect its vintage look

Chris NicholsJune 5, 2017

Six months after the Formosa Café on Santa Monica Boulevard unexpectedly shuttered, the West Hollywood landmark is coming back to life. The ancient Chinese restaurant, known for its famous clientele and appearances in films including L.A. Confidential, will be restored by the 1933 Group and will reopen next summer. Owners Bobby Green, Dimitri Komarov, and Dima Liberman have signed a long-term lease with the owners of the West Hollywood Gateway shopping center, which owns the restaurant property.

The restaurant was opened by prizefighter Jimmy Bernstein and run by Lem Quon for generations. Quon’s grandson Vince continued the tradition in recent years. He eventually brought in an outside operator who remodeled the interior without permission, causing uproar among fans. “We’re gonna put it all back,” said 1933’s Bobby Green. “Vince has everything in storage: All the autographed photos, all the Elvis decanters, the lucky Buddha. He’s got everything.”

Coming off of two groundbreaking historic preservation projects–The Idle Hour in North Hollywood and the Highland Park Bowl–the 1933 Group is making a name bringing back old landmarks. “In a time when beloved establishments are closing throughout Los Angeles,” says 1933 co-owner Dimitri Komarov. “It’s important for us as a company to breathe new life into places that can be saved.”

The group plans to keep the neon façade, the bar, and the 1902 train car dining room, and it will use vintage photos to guide the restoration of the original red vinyl booths and Chinese lanterns that longtime patrons remember. “I want it to have the feel of the 1930s to 1960s,” said Green. “They kept adding and adding to it. I probably don’t need a photo of Johnny Depp on the wall.”

A rooftop deck and other additions made in 2001 will be Benjamin Buttoned to look like they’ve always been there. A back room recently used for comedy nights and karaoke will become an additional dining room featuring classic Chinese cuisine. “We’d love to do dim sum. We’ll probably do some modern takes on lo mein,” Green said. “It won’t be your grandmother’s lo mein".
http://www.lamag.com/askchris/exclusive-formosa-cafe-coming-back/

[ Edited by: Okolehao 2017-06-05 19:17 ]

Well, this is certainly encouraging. I've always felt LA's history lasts only until the next bulldozer comes along. Here's hoping they really can turn back the clock on progress!

I was excited to see the news today. 1933 is a great company that owns many bars in LA, so we know they have the funds and the know-how. 1933 runs Sassafras, Harlowe, Idle Hour, La Cuevita, Oldfields, Bigfoot, Thirsty Crow and Highland Park Bowl. I can't wait to see what they come up with for the Formosa!

Vote up to 5 times daily to save the Formosa Cafe!

http://www.Savetheformosa.com

[ Edited by: lunavideogames 2017-10-11 19:38 ]

Thanks! I Just voted.

You can use your 5 daily votes all at one time so keep hitting that "+" button.

Formosa Café Is a Winner in National Preservation Grant Contest

Yes awesome!!!

Just discovered The Formosa's Instagram (via Tiki Diablo, who's making them a mug), which says today is soft opening with the grand opening on Friday, June 28.

Yeah so was the Kahiki on a national Preservation list.

Starbucks and others like Walgreens TARGET these places and buy them and or put their store there or right next door to benefit from the foot traffic these places have gained over the years, do not forget that.

And the Starbucks guy accused some other guy of stifling small businesses, Starbucks business model is to stifle or kill other businesses.

They put a Starbucks right next to my business and I also saw this in a magazine about Diners, Roadside magazine.

I hope this place makes it though, many of these cool old places are falling one by one.

Damn, stop going to these faceless no history places people.

Wall Street Journal article from may 2019:
Inside the Revival of West Hollywood’s Most Enduring Dive
Elvis famously tipped a waitress here—with a Cadillac. The enduring legend of Formosa Cafe, now restored to its former glory
By
Jay Cheshes
May 3, 2019 8:55 am ET
The Formosa Cafe, opened in 1939, is West Hollywood’s most enduring dive. Known for its classic cocktails, greasy Cantonese cooking and kitschy black-and-red lacquered décor, it’s had many lives in its 80 years. Elvis once tipped a waitress there with a Cadillac (or so the story goes). Frank Sinatra drank there in the 1950s, Warren Beatty in the ’70s. In the ’80s and ’90s, you might have seen the Beastie Boys or Bono sipping a Mai Tai. Chef-owner Lem Quon presided over the dining room from 1948 until his death in 1993. Efforts to raze the building were long met with opposition. Then, in 2016, Quon’s grandson Vince Jung shut the place down.
This month the Formosa roars back to life, restored by the 1933 Group. Partners Bobby Green, Dimitri Komarov and Dmitry Liberman started out building Los Angeles bars that might have existed long ago, then shifted gears and began reviving iconic establishments. For the Formosa, they pillaged Jung’s storage unit packed with original artifacts. Letters and the unpublished memoirs of longtime barman Lindy Brewerton informed a new book, out this summer, on the Formosa’s history and revival. “I wanted the main bar everybody remembers to be exactly the way it looked and felt,” says Green, the 1933 Group’s creative director.
he vintage Pacific Electric Red Car trolley used as a dining room has a new sparkle. The food, courtesy of consulting chef David Kuo of Taiwanese soul food restaurant Little Fatty, is the one historic anomaly: It’s a genuine attraction for the first time. “The food was terrible, and everybody knew that,” says Green. “I’m not sure they’ll care if it gets much better.”

Good article and pictures from the Hollywood Reporter:

First Look: L.A.'s Famed Formosa Cafe Debuts $2.4 Million Refresh (Exclusive)
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/first-look-las-famed-formosa-cafe-debuts-24-million-refresh-1219096

Oh, and this sentence should excite people here: "Cocktails are a strong suit for the 1933 Group, and here they’ll skew a bit more tiki than at previous haunts."

[ Edited by: Hamo 2019-06-23 16:21 ]