World’s first Taco Bell® to be
relocated from Downey, CA to company’s headquarters in
Irvine
Taco Bell® today announced plans to raise and rehabilitate the
world’s first Taco Bell restaurant from its 53-year-old foundation
in Downey, CA and relocate it to the Taco Bell headquarters in
Irvine, CA -- saving it from impending demolition. On Thursday,
November 19, the restaurant, referred to lovingly as “Numero Uno,”
will bid farewell to the community of Downey and make the 45-mile
journey through the streets of Southern California. The structure
will remain on property as the company plans for the building's
restoration and future use.
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Taco Bell® today announced plans to raise
and rehabilitate the world’s first Taco Bell restaurant from its
53-year-old foundation in Downey, CA and relocate it to the Taco
Bell headquarters in Irvine, CA. (Photo: Business Wire)
"Numero Uno" has held its place in Downey since 1962 when fast
food entrepreneur Glen Bell established the site as a
Mexican-inspired center with shops, live music and fire pits –
anchored by a taco stand called Taco Bell. The 400 square foot
walk-up window helped Bell revolutionize the quick-service industry
by bringing Mexican-inspired food to the masses. It closed as a
Taco Bell in 1986 due to the popularity of larger restaurants with
indoor seating and drive-thrus, which this original location
lacked. Since then, however, it operated as other taqueria
restaurants until it was permanently vacated in December of 2014.
With the large plot now vacant, plans for new development caused
the building to face demolition.
“This is arguably the most important restaurant in our company’s
history,” stated Brian Niccol, Chief Executive Officer, Taco Bell
Corp. “To think a business like ours, that spans 6,000 restaurants
around the globe, started with a walk-up window no bigger than a
two-car garage is truly inspirational. When we heard about the
chance of it being demolished, we had to step in. We owe that to
our fans, we owe that to Glen Bell.”
After learning of the proposed demolition in January from the
Downey Conservancy, Taco Bell took to social media to raise
awareness, encouraging fans to tweet #SaveTacoBell to help spread
the word. Taco Bell began working closely with heritage
conservation non-profit We Are The Next for preservation research
and management of the building’s relocation.
“This building isn't designed by a famous architect, and it's
not particularly beautiful in the conventional sense. But it does
demonstrate how even the most ordinary buildings can tell
tremendous stories,” stated Katie Rispoli, Executive Director, We
Are The Next. “By saving and conserving structures like the first
Taco Bell in Downey, we hope to set a precedent and demonstrate the
great power that can come from unexpected histories in
seemingly-ordinary places.”
The move, which begins at 10:30 p.m., Thursday, November 19 will
mobilize the entire 20X20 foot structure, driving through Downey,
Norwalk, Cerritos, La Palma, Buena Park, Anaheim, Tustin and
Orange, with an anticipated arrival at the Taco Bell headquarters
in Irvine early Friday morning. The building will remain at Taco
Bell headquarters for storage until its future use is determined.
Taco Bell plans to make that decision in the near future, and
involve their fans and community in the process.
“Our fans helped make us who we are, and we feel they should be
involved in the future of the building where it all started,” said
Marisa Thalberg, Chief Brand Engagement Officer, Taco Bell Corp.
“This isn’t a decision that should be made in a boardroom, but a
social experience that can allow our biggest fans to truly be a
part of Taco Bell history.” Fans are encouraged to follow Taco
Bell’s social media channels and #SaveTacoBell to follow "Numero
Uno" on Thursday’s move.
Building Route:
• 7112 Firestone Boulevard, Starting Location
• EAST on Firestone Boulevard
• SOUTH on Bloomfield Avenue
• EAST on Del Amo Boulevard
• CONT. onto La Palma
• SOUTH on Tustin Avenue
• CONT. onto S. Tustin Street
• EAST on Chapman Avenue
• SOUTH on Jamboree Road
• EAST on Alton Parkway
• NORTH on Gateway
• 1 Glen Bell Way, Final Location
Watch points are encouraged at the Taco Bell locations along
the route:
• 7127 Firestone Blvd., Downey, CA 90241
• 1075 N. Tustin Ave, Anaheim, CA 92807
• 2233 N. Tustin St., Orange, CA 92865
• 490 N. Tustin St., Orange, CA 92867
• 1 Glen Bell Way, Irvine, CA 92618 (Taco Bell Headquarters)
About Taco Bell Corp.
Taco Bell Corp., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., (NYSE: YUM),
is the nation's leading Mexican-inspired quick service restaurant.
Taco Bell serves made to order and customizable tacos, burritos,
and specialties such as the exclusive Doritos® Locos Tacos,
gourmet-inspired Cantina Power® Menu, lower calorie Fresco options
and is the first QSR restaurant to offer American Vegetarian
Association (AVA)-certified menu items. Taco Bell Breakfast offers
portable, classic items such as the A.M. Crunchwrap®, Waffle Taco
and signature burritos. The company encourages customers to “Live
Más,” both through its food and in ways such as its Feed The Beat®
music program and its nonprofit organization, the Taco Bell®
Foundation™. Taco Bell and its more than 350 franchise
organizations have more than 6,000 restaurants across the United
States that proudly serve more than 42 million customers every
week.
Like: Facebook.com/tacobell
Follow: @TacoBell (Twitter) and tacobell (Instagram) and
@tacobell (Periscope)
Subscribe: YouTube.com/tacobell
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151118005436/en/
Taco Bell Corp.Matt Prince,
949-863-4367Matthew.Prince@yum.com
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