An iconic Hollywood sign could soon be replaced by the logo of a modern fast food chain, leaving locals furious.
The Norms coffee shop on La Cienega Boulevard has been a staple for Angelenos since 1957 with its recognizable Googies-style architecture created by Armét & Davis and the sawtooth sign out front.
But the sign may be renovated, as chicken finger chain Raising Cane’s plans to move in in 2027 when Norms’ lease expires, according to The Los Angeles Times.
“The idea of transforming Norms from a sit-down restaurant, family-friendly and affordable to a place where you can get fried chicken is amazing to me,” Kim Cooper, author of Esotouric’s Secret Los Angeles, told The Times.
Cooper was the one who discovered Cane’s planned to change the space when reviewing the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission’s upcoming agenda.
Due to the site’s historic status, Cane’s must obtain permission to alter the building.
The restaurant chain told The Times that it “plans to keep the legacy of Norm’s alive and preserve – forever – the iconic Googie-style architecture made famous by Armét & Davis, as we begin improvements to the property restore.’
In a rendering of the new sign shared with The Times, Cane’s suggests simply replacing the Standards with Cane’s, using the same font, while keeping the rest of the structure identical.
The Norms coffee shop on La Cienega Boulevard has been a staple for Angelenos since 1957 with its recognizable Googies-style architecture created by Armét & Davis and the sawtooth sign out front. But the sign could be renovated, as chicken finger chain Raising Cane’s plans to move in in 2027
The restaurant chain said it “intends to keep the legacy of Norm’s alive and preserve – forever – the iconic Googie-style architecture made famous by Armét & Davis, as we begin improvements to restore the property.” ‘ A rendering (photo) shows that they plan to replace Norms with Canes on the board
But that hasn’t at all stopped the pushback of Angelenos at Cane from occupying the space, even with the promise of preserving its architectural integrity.
“It’s so much more than a building,” Cooper said.
“This is a place that’s open 24 hours a day…”
“Norms are part of people’s lives and have been for 67 years, which in LA is basically a millennium.”
Television producer Damian Sullivan agreed, telling The Times: ‘Standards are in the same realm as Manns Chinese Theater and Panns and the Hollywood Sign.
“It’s so iconic to Los Angeles.”
The La Cienega Boulevard location is so memorable to locals that it was the subject of Ed Ruscha’s painting Norm’s, La Cienega, On Fire
The first Norms were opened in 1949 by Norm Roybark. According to The Times, the owner sold the company to CapitalSpring in 2015
The location on La Cienega Boulevard is so memorable to locals that it was the subject of Ed Ruscha’s painting Norm’s, La Cienega, On Fire.
The first Norms were opened in 1949 by Norm Roybark.
According to The Times, he sold the company to CapitalSpring in 2015.
The remaining twenty locations will still be in operation after 2027.