1. Old Food

Taco Bell

Taco Bell #001, built in 1962, was at 7112 Firestone Blvd. in Downey. On Nov. 19, 2015, it was moved to corporate HQ in Irvine. Taco Bell #002, at 1822 Santa Fe in Long Beach, is still in business though the original 1962 building has been replaced.
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In 1962, Glen Bell was in the parking lot of McDonald's when he became inspired. He quit his meter-reading job, simplified some Mexican recipes and opened the first Taco Bell in this building at 7112 Firestone Blvd. in Downey, CA, just east of the 710. Many years later, the company decided to open a new Taco Bell across the street. This then became this.
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In 1962, Glen Bell was in the parking lot of McDonald's when he became inspired. He quit his meter-reading job, simplified some Mexican recipes and opened the first Taco Bell in this building at 7112 Firestone Blvd. in Downey, CA, just east of the 710. Many years later, the company decided to open a new Taco Bell across the street. This then became this.

Taco BellDowneyhistory

  • In 1962, Glen Bell was in the parking lot of McDonald's when he became inspired. He quit his meter-reading job, simplified some Mexican recipes and opened the first Taco Bell in this building at 7112 Firestone Blvd. in Downey, CA, just east of the 710. Many years later, the company decided to open a new Taco Bell across the street. This then became this.
  • Taco Bell arch
  • Taco Bell - 1
  • Taco Bell - 2
  • On November 19, 2015, Taco Bell decided to reclaim its first building. With temporary signs covering the wording from the last tenant, it began a 47-mile road trip to corporate HQ in Irvine.
  • The final disposition of the building was yet to be determined.
  • A week after the move, it was still sitting on the trailer, attached to the truck, in the driveway at the Irvine HQ.
  • The company was asking for ideas about what to do with the old building.
  • 10 months later, there it sat, swathed in plastic, parked in the farthest corner of the Taco Bell HQ parking lot.
  • May of 2017 - still sitting in the same spot. The plastic may have been replaced. There was talk of turning it into an employee snack shack...
  • March 16, 2018 - slowly deteriorating...
  • November 13, 2018 - 1
  • November 13, 2018 - 2
  • May 9, 2019
  • September 19, 2019
  • February 14, 2020 - NO PROGRESS!
  • February 14, 2020 - 2
  • January 2, 2021 - 1<br />
I'm getting the impression that nothing is ever going to be done to show this historic building the respect it deserves.
  • January 2, 2021 - 2
  • September 4, 2021 - 3 days before the closing of the next oldest SoCal Taco Bell, in Laguna Beach...
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