Starbucks Opens for Business in Historic California Gas Station

In its heyday, the Gilmore Oil-owned gas station was a colorful backdrop for movies such as “48 Hours” and “L.A. Story.”

March 30, 2015

SEATTLE – Nearly two years ago, Starbucks senior store design manager Jonathan Alpert and his team learned of a potential new Starbucks site in Los Angeles. It was an unusual location – an empty gas station on a fenced-off corner of Highland and Willoughby.

“At the very beginning we knew this was something special,” said Alpert. “The building was in such a dilapidated state, but we could see it had potential. We wanted to restore the building in a way that allowed us to serve the community while celebrating its history.”

The gas station was built in 1935 by Gilmore Oil, which was then the largest independent oil company on the West Coast. The company had purchased the land from film star Wallace Beery and opened one of its “Red Lion” service stations on the site. It operated as a gas station for several decades (as a Mobil and Texaco station), until it was vacated in the 1990s. The gas station used to serve as a colorful backdrop for movies and commercials, including a scene between Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in “48 Hours” and a fuel stop with Steve Martin in “L.A. Story.” It was registered as a Los Angeles Historical Cultural Monument in 1992.

Alpert and his team at Starbucks created a design ideal for a store with both a drive-thru, walk-up window and outdoor seating area. They restored the main existing structure — the original “Y”-shaped service station — as well as the canopy structure from an added car wash. They preserved and restored existing glass and metal elements wherever possible.

“The most interesting architectural features of the building are its sweeping cantilevered canopies that extend out like arms from either side of the building,” Alpert said. “When we came in, these were falling down. We made them structurally sound and now they look much like they did in their original state, 80 years ago.”

The team added energy-efficient LED rope lights to replicate the old tubes of neon lighting. Non-historic contemporary service bay roll-up doors were replaced with aluminum frame garage doors in the style of the period to form an exterior wall.

“We didn’t try to over-brand the building,” Alpert said. “We tried to keep it true to the original, placing only limited signage.”

While the drive-thru evokes the same automotive spirit and speedy service of the classic gas station, designers also created outdoor spaces complete with green Starbucks patio umbrellas to shade an open seating area for up to 24 customers. Because the property was primarily paved historically, Starbucks designers limited extensive plantings, but incorporated native grasses, silver carpet ground cover and loquat trees.

“Starbucks real estate and design teams are always looking for unique locations that connect us to the past,” Alpert said. “Sometimes we stumble on a gem like this one, and are honored to get the chance to bring it back to life.”

The new Highland & Willoughby store is one of Starbucks newest restorations of historic buildings, which include New Orleans Canal Street store and the new Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room.

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