Save the Seal Beach Parasol !! Sat. March 25 '06

PRESS RELEASE

WHAT: RALLY THIS SAT., MARCH 25TH!

WHY? DESTRUCTION OF THE PARASOL,
OUR BELOVED SEAL BEACH LANDMARK

WHEN: SAT., MARCH 25TH
10AM - 1PM

WHERE: MEET ON THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK OUTSIDE
THE PARASOL
12241 SEAL BEACH BLVD, SEAL BEACH
IN THE ROSSMOOR SHOPPING CENTER

ROY HALL & THE PARASOL ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY: WE WANT THEM BACK!

OVER 12,000 SIGNATURES ARE ON FILE IN SUPPORT OF PRESERVING THE PARASOL . . . NOT GUTTING ITS AMAZING ORIGINAL INTERIOR.

DEMOLITION PERMITS WERE PULLED, WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING HERE?

THIS IS THE VERY LAST PARASOL, SO GRAB AN UMBRELLA & JOIN US ON SATURDAY!

FRIENDS OF THE PARASOL (818) 943-6621

It was a gallant attempt and it looked for a while like this landmark might have been saved.

Here's a photo of the old Torrance Parasol for reference on the corner of PCH & Crenshaw, back in it's heyday:

Unfortunately, that one was torn down a few years ago to make room for a Walgreens. It was one of my usual post-garage-sale breakfast spots on Saturday mornings.

The Seal Beach Parasol was the last one left. Here are some fairly recent photos of it:

I hate to bum everybody out, but here's what it looks like right now:

Damn Short-sightedness! Folks are gonna wish the old coffee shops were still around in a few years.

The Brolly Hut burger joint at 11205 Crenshaw Blvd, in Inglewood, is the last of these Umbrella Restaurants left that I know about. I make sure to hit it for a burger whenever I can. (Brolly means umbrella in Scottish, I believe).

Sabu

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy 2006-05-19 16:37 ]

Thanks for the update Sabu. I went a couple years ago and it seemed like maybe it would be saved because there was a lot of public support to save it.

Darn it, don't you guys have any good news coming out of Orange County? It's been one bad report after another. :(

Eeeegghads!

Is it possible that it is being restored? It looks like it's been stripped down to the support beams. If they were going to bulldoze it, they might not have dismantled it so carefully.

That's what I was thinking too.
Funny how sometimes, you just drive by stuff like this, thinking oh thats cool looking. But then when you hear about it being torn down.
I think, Dohh, wish I had gone there.
I was the same way with Sams and Royal Hawiian for Years.
At least I got a few good years in on those places.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Yeah. If they were tearing it down they would have just bulldozed it, right?

Right you are, folks! That teaches me to rely on heresay from a co-worker, even if he does live a block away from the Parasol. He told me it was being torn down, but this March 14th article in the OC Register says otherwise:

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1047007.php

*"SEAL BEACH – Major changes are in store for the Rossmoor Center, as most of the older businesses have closed to make way for big names like Peet’s Coffee and Corner Bakery.
But one landmark mainstay, the pink Parasol restaurant, will reopen next year after an estimated 11-month remodel.

The restaurant closed its doors Sunday, after serving its last meal: baked chicken.

When the remodeling is completed, the family eatery best-known for its Googie architecture will have a new parasol-shaped roof.

Thousands of diners rallied in 2004 to save the restaurant from permanent closure. Center owner Century National Properties had decided that closing the restaurant and bringing in new business might rejuvenate the retail center.

Now Century officials say the Parasol is an asset. They will redo the roof and the owner will gut the interior and start from scratch.

The last of the fixtures, furniture and appliances were sold today."*

Still, will it have the same character as before? Were the signature parasol lamps from the interior sold? What about all that pink marble? I'm glad the structure itself is being saved, but does anyone know what the decor will be like?

Sabu

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy 2006-05-19 23:17 ]

Good news, I think. I fear the remodel will create another faux-50s coffee shop filled with pictures of James Dean, Marilyn, and Bogart. Without all the umbrella fixtures it won't be quite the same.

Here's some pics I took 2 years ago:

On 2006-03-23 12:05, Hakalugi wrote:
PRESS RELEASE
...
OVER 12,000 SIGNATURES ARE ON FILE IN SUPPORT OF PRESERVING THE PARASOL . . . NOT GUTTING ITS AMAZING ORIGINAL INTERIOR.

Bummer! Oh well...

What's next. Sam's Seafood? Trader Vics in Beverly Hills? Maybe we need to be more proactive.

Bahookas?

The Friends of the Parasol have a website which has scans of articles on the subject of the Parasol and the upcoming plans for the Rossmoor Shopping Center.

I'm glad to hear that The Parasol building, at least, will be staying put, but at the same time sad that the charm of the interior will probably be lost. Guess we'll just have to wait and see--hope the restorations do the old girl justice.

On 2006-05-22 12:38, UtopianDreem wrote:
The Friends of the Parasol have a website which has scans of articles on the subject of the Parasol and the upcoming plans for the Rossmoor Shopping Center.

Another bowling alley bites the dust! :(

The Parasol in Seal Beach will become a Mel's Drive- In Diner

http://www.presstelegram.com/business/ci_4316662

good news, I guess, I love Mels in Hollywood. now I can eat there more often at the new one.
Hope the fans of the Parasol won't be too disapointed??

Jeff(bigtikidude)

The new Mel's Drive-in in Seal Beach (former Seal Beach Parasol) will be open Dec 3rd, 2007

Mel's Drive-in Seal Beach

The parasol-shaped roof is still there

sweeeeeeet.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

This place opened just over a year ago. Now it's gone out of business.

Orange County Register: Seal Beach Mel's Drive-In

Just a few days after the former Johnie Broiler reopened too.

Damn, that's too bad.

though I must say, I have been to a few Mel's in LA.
and the food at the Seal Beach one did not compare.

still sad though.

Jeff(btd)

any updates on this?

It appears that not too many people were satisfied with Mel's food and service....

Orange County Register: Fast Food Blogging

and looks like no new tenant yet either.

I agree with what they said,
so so food, and overpriced,

and also, that it would be cool to see a Bob's big boy in there.

Jeff(btd)

Meanwhile, The former Parasol is being used by The Shops at Rossmoor for kids crafts events and Santa Claus appearances

Shops at Rossmoor special events

But no permanent tenant yet.

The Parasol building in Seal Beach will soon be home to chain restaurant Panera Bread.

Orange County Register: Panera Bread at Parasol

Seal Beach Sun News Business

That is SUPER lame. ...and I like Panera. Just doesn't really make sense to me.

Wasn't it supposed to be a Cafe 50's ?
Spike, I'm with ya...I Love panera, but not in the Parasol Building...Now a Bob's Big Boy would work....
At least they didn't tear the building down.

On 2010-09-20 23:23, tikiyaki wrote:
...
At least they didn't tear the building down.

Agreed.

I'll take a "Panera Bread at the Parasol" over "no more Parasol" any day.

On 2010-09-20 23:23, tikiyaki wrote:
Wasn't it supposed to be a Cafe 50's ?

you mean after Mel's?

Mels was a 50's style diner.
and it was there for around a year.

Jeff(btd)