I've lived in or around Westwood Village for most of my 65 years. I grew up here in the 50's. A typical Saturday back then would be a walk into the village, lunch at Hamburger Hamlet or donuts at Stan's, then maybe a movie or bowling. All that for just a few dollars. Those days are gone, as are Hamburger Hamlet and the bowling alley. Westwood is still filled with college students and ethnic restaurants of all kinds, but things have changed. On my walk this morning to meet some friends at The Coffee Bean, the new Westwood hit me head on.
Westwood is dirty. There is trash in the gutters, homeless on the benches, and empty storefronts everywhere. Westwood Blvd. is about half empty. On the corner is a CVS, next door there's an empty store, then a little sandwich shop, next another empty storefront, and so it goes. I even noticed today that Chili's is gone. The businesses that are left are almost all food. Ethnic restaurants abound, many of them very good. There are lots of Mediterranean and other Middle Eastern restaurants, Asian restaurants, Italian, sandwich shops, ice cream and donuts. One of my favorites spots is Diddy Riese, a cookie and ice cream shop. Many varieties of cookies to choose from, then fill them with one of the many ice cream flavors, for a wonderful ice cream sandwich. They also offer Hawaiian shave ice. Delicious. They're lined up out the door for this place. Yes, Stans donuts is still there, but it's not what it used to be. Gone are the businesses I remember from my youth; Fedway, Hamburger Hamlet, Bullocks.
In the 50's and 60's Westwood was one of the greatest places to see a movie. The Fox and Bruin, two landmark theatres that are still around, were the sight of many Hollywood premiers. I can't tell you how many Saturdays I spent in the balcony. Other places I remember from years past that have survived for over 50 years are Oakleys Barbershop, Flax art supplies, Fat Burger, Helens Bicycle Shop and Bel Air Camera. They must be doing something right to have survived 60 years.
I think most of us who revisit towns from our childhood are disappointed. They're smaller than we remember or they've changed in ways we can't really put a finger on. I see clearly the changes that have come to Westwood and don't like it. It has lost that small, college town feeling, and has been replaced with a lot of empty stores, fast food resturants and a few markets and drug stores. I don't know how they're going to turn it around but I hope they do.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
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Susie - I found Westwood in 1957 when my life at UCLA began. It was great. There was the Hamlet, the Village Deli, Oakleys and the Blue and Gold and Bullocks, Phelps Wilger, Taylor Made and yes, Bel Air Camera. I left in 1962 for the Navy, and in 1966 when I returned vast changes had already impacted the old life in the Village. But, if you turned your back during the late '60's you missed the passing of the old village. Things like the bowling alley on campus took the place of the old bowling alley, and the neglect by young hippies and shop owners who gave up the fight to keep the village as it was delivered the Village as we see it today. Shortly after coming home from Southeast Asia, the passing of Vern at Blue and Gold took me to Larry at Oakleys, and the passing of Larry took me to a shop that did old time short mens haircuts in the Valley. It strikes me that some of those changes are inevitable. Pasadena went through the worst of aging and it took an entire rebirth of the community to bring back a Pasadena that we knew long ago. Look at the miracle that has been done in San Diego. But when old institutions get old and are replaced by the institutions desired by a younger generation, maybe us older folks need to adapt to a degree.
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