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greetings,
on sunday, january 7th 2007, johnies broiler was partially torn down in a criminal act. this website will be a portal for the community to share stories and photos of our beloved landmark.
our goal is to ultimately REBUILD this piece of american history, and with our community's involvement and care, we will get it done.
this aggression will not stand.
george manzanilla
-downey citzen and business owner
www.rundfunkmedia.com
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"I have driven many hundreds of miles over the region's boulevards during the past twenty years and am inclined to believe that something of this caliber that is still readily identifiable is quite rare...there can be no question that a building of this type is a very important part of the regional landscape during the postwar era."
-Architectural Historian Richard Longstreth
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- Hello,
My name is Shannon Lopez and I wanted to share my story of "Johnies Broiler". I am 32 years old and now residing in Corona, CA. but Downey, CA. is my hometown, I was born & raised there, actually lived right off of Old River School Rd.
This morning, seeing this news on TV.. I broke down! It hit me SO hard as "Johnie's" holds ALOT of meaning to me. Iv'e spent TOO many days & nights there with my daddy, at LEAST a hundred times, as I was growing up. My daddy & I use to go there faithfully... together weekly when they had the Harvey's Cruise nights in the 80's. My dad had oldies cars and would take them up there every week. That was mine & my daddy's biggest place of memories, not to mention the film crew for the movie "License To Drive" used my dad & his 57 Ford convertable in one of the drive in scenes. So we spent a couple days/nights there while they shot those scenes.
I SO hope they will rebuild it and help the sorrow & pain that many people are now feeling from this horrible demolition. I am completely heartbroken.
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- Hi my name is Kristie Wold and I was a part of 'Friends of Johnnie's Broiler' We were successful in getting it preserved and this is the thanks we get. We had problems with the owners from day one. I am planning on being at our City Council meeting tomarrow night to voice my opinioin. The City of Downey never seemed to be too concerned about the preservation of Johnnie's. Which was a mind blower to me. If the city would have been involved. I believe this would not have happened. I look forward to hearing from you with any kind of help regarding this matter.
Thank you
Kristie Wold
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- I'm David from Whittier. I have beautiful memories of this place. My sister and I were amused at how during the "energy crisis" in the 70's when you couldn't even have Christmas lights on your house, this coffee shop would glow like Las Vegas! Great food, very friendly employees. They would play K-Earth oldies over the ceiling. It was sad enough to have the place close. I went back once to look and couldn't handle visiting again. This is tragic. Who wants to pay the $3000 a month light bill? LOL! Great to see such quick action on this genuine landmark!
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- Let's gather the torches and storm the castle! Anyone up for an old fashioned protest?
Sharon Livingston
Warren HS - Class of 1985
Whittier, CA
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- I've been a Downey resident since 1966. I've watched this city pull quite a few stunts in my time. Is it possible this might be one more? It was bad enough when they allowed Johnie's to become a used car lot! Talk about a ghetto look! Now I wonder if someone in the council actually new this was going to happen. This is just too convenient for the city.
Phil Parker
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- Hello,
I have fond memories of Johnie's Broiler. When I was a kid my dad and I would go there every Wednesday for the Car Shows. It was the highlight of the week for me. We would drive our old 1956 Ford into the driveway and drive by the other cars so slow so they would look at our car and we got the chance to look at theirs. My dad and I would show off and all the other cruisers would stare. I hope the owner rebuilds Johnie's. It is such a shame what happened. I was looking forward to taking my children there to share my memories with them of the good fun we had a Johnie's.
Thank you,
Morgan Johnson
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- I went to Johnie's once in the 1980s. I was visiting a friend who lived in Long Beach and we were driving down Firestone talking about where to go for dinner. I saw the neon beacon and said, "There! I want to go THERE!" And we did. What a fabulous evening bathed in Googie chic. I returned to the east coast and never saw the place again. I live in Canada now, and can't be there to protest with you. But I send you my angst and support from here. Somebody, please give a yell for me at one of the protests. This is an outrage!
Philip Porado, Associate Editor
Advisor's Edge
Toronto, Ontario
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- I am an immigrant from German who came to Los Angeles in January 1999. Since then I am trying to visit and find all the little hidden treasure of L.A. and there are still so many! Unfortunately I never made it to see JOHNNIES BOILER - and sadly now I never will be able to see the original.
First THE AMBASSADOR now JOHNNIES BOILER , I have no idea what has been destroyed before and don't know what will come after this criminal act of destroying a piece of American heritage!
I am sure greed has played a role in this act and the plan will hopefully backfire to those who are responsible for this and I certainly think people in every country should be more aware of preserving their history. Trips to Good Old Europe might be fun, see old castles etc. but if you don't pay attention to what happened in front of your doorsteps, not even your own children will be able to see where you have been growing up.
I hope that JOHNNIES BOILER will be rebuild but then it will be just a replica while there was a chance to preserve the original.
So I agree with: Wake up America! Your living history is disappearing!
Good luck and Thank you to everybody who is helping to keep the history alive!
Yvonne P. Behrens
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- Hello-
I just wanted to add my two cents. I was a Downey resident from 1951 to 1970. As a teen I visited Harvey's Broiler and later as an adult when it was renamed Johnie's. To this day we still continue to visit Downey from time to time. We love our hometown, and are very proud of it's history.
I too was very saddened by the destruction of Johnie's. But I have to say that this classic piece of Los Angeles architecture was steadily being ran-down ever since it changed names. The second owners did a minimal job maintaining the place over the years, I suppose just trying to keep their business going. Repairs were not done, damaged roofs were left hanging loose, paint was flaking, lights were out, etc. In the Eighties, the food was barely edible. My last salad there had a small cochroach residing in it! Johnie's Broiler was always a mere shadow of what Harvey's Broiler was.
At this point in time the illegal destruction of the facility points to the owner and/or his tenants. If it is found that the owner Christos "Johnie" Smyrniotis was behind the destruction, it would be almost criminal to rebuild it and allow the Johnie's name to remain.
I suggest that if there is any restoration, the place be faithfully restored to it's HARVEY'S BROILER state. And it will require getting someone who really knows how to handle both the historic property and the restaurant business. Without decent food, the place will once again fail.
Jerry Mull
 
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- Here is an idea;
Have a fund raiser to buy out the owner and restore the site. All the owner wants is money and money talks as we all know. If the broiler was restored it could be a big money maker espesially if you included the women on roller skates. Minus the big fine the person responsible for this could be forced to walk away with just pennies in his pocket. That is what I would call justice! Lets start the ideas rolling! Don't simply leave this one up for the city to decide or this restaurant could be history! A few small ideas can lead to a great discovery!
Albert Wilmovsky
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- After hearing that it is only a misdemeanor to destroy a building without a permit, I believe that the owner and tenants of Johnie's just figured it was too time consuming to pull permits, especially when the City may have still asked for additional information in order to process them. After all, the main concern for those people is MONEY, and without the permits, the money they were expecting from their new endeavor couldn't come rolling in, could it? Doesn't take a genius to realize that "oh big deal..so I'll pay a fine, but I'll just tear it down and by the time the City finds out on Monday, it'll be too late for them to do anything about it. Johnie's will be gone, the City will just shrug it's shoulders and say oh well,.... might as well just build your whatever.....we get the revenue from taxes either way". That's what I think they thought, and that's what I'm afraid will happen. Why are some city leaders "remaining anonymous" and "reserving comments"? We know who you are!
I remember reading about Smyrinotis being unhappy with the city and the Historical Society when this all started. He didn't want them telling him what he could or could not do with the property. And now he says he is against Johnie's being torn down, but yet he applied for the permits to tear it down and didn't sign the papers for Historic preservation. I was appalled when he allowed another used car lot to take over the place, like we need another used car lot in Downey. And speaking of car lot..am I the only one that finds it interesting that this was done AFTER the cars were taken off the "lot" instead of while they were there? He says he loves Downey? He loves Johnie's? Baloney. Then why didn't he renovate the place himself? He loves money. He owns the property. He leased the property to irresponsible tenants. He pays insurance. Hmmmmm... i n s u r a n c e......how much could one collect for such a huge amount of vandalism from their insurance company?? Enough to build..say,....a "retail shopping mart"?? And if someone "builds and bulldozes" for 40 years, not only do they know about permits, but might they know a way of getting around those permits? He should be a responsible owner, and therefore should be held responsible for leasing to such disgusting tenants. After all, won't his insurance pay for the damages?? And as for the "vandalism", if you can go to jail for vandalizing another's property, isn't jail time appropriate for perpetrators of damage of this extent? Not to mention putting citizens in harms way by doing it with the utilities still on?
Maybe it's because I knew Harvey Ortner and his family. Maybe it's because for 16 years my sister and I delivered prescriptions to him there at the broiler for the pharmacy we worked at. Maybe because the Ortner's were such nice people. Maybe because I liked seeing Johnie's Broiler in the movies. Maybe, it's because I went to All American about 3:00 that Sunday afternoon when, by the way, there was no heavy equipment that I noticed, and had I looked at it on my way home that day, I might have been able to get to the police before so much of the place was gone. I didn't like it being less glorious than it was in it's hey day. But a car lot is better? Made it look better?? The tenant didn't keep it up, even to make his own business look better! I'd rather see a friendly old restaurant in that spot.
I say we try a new trend in Downey. Lets rebuild and protect what we already have in Downey....and forget our grandkids and their grandkids! Let's keep our Downey history alive for ourselves!!
Katherine Rodriguez
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- Thanks for putting up this site. Gotta keep the dream alive, keep it growing...it's bigger than all of us individually, The Broiler Forever!
John
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- i proposed to buy johnie’s broiler. i’ll be the main buyer to preserve & restore it. hopefully all downey citizens can pitch in to help me buy it. i need to hear from you –downey citizens-with your donations- as soon as possible…i will re-open it with 70’s style music, food and so on…let’s do it… please e-mail me at : hugoc21@hotmail.com with all your propsed donations… if we can collect enough money we can buy it from the owners, preserved and restore it… i am ready for this challenge. are you? let’s not just talk do something about it.. take your money out of the bank, wallet, mattres and kitchen yar show me you care… too much talk will not help this cause….. let’s take action now.. downpayment donations must be in the thousands…not pennies, dimes, nickels or quarters…i have $20,000.00 ready for downpayment.. e-mail me with your comments and telephone numbers, and how much is that you are willing to donate..all donations and information will be strictly confidential…bank account # will be available soon….
money talks, save johnnie’s broiler
hugo
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- I don't have much to add, other than we used to enjoy going to Johnie's real late at night during the late 90's early 2000's before we moved to the Inland Empire. My girlfriend and I would marvel at how the Norm's and Denny's on Firestone Blvd were crowded, yet Johnie's, with its marvelous architecture and signage was desolate. But we still ate there to support the place as much as we could. I even had some friends from San Diego come up a couple of times, and they too, were impressed that such a place still existed.
I will definitely do my part in trying to make the City of Downey realize that this building isn't just a local issue, but rather, one that extends throughout all of Southern California.
Thanks for the time.
James T.
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- On behalf of the " Wakefield Cruisers " here in Yorkshire, England, we would like to say that that we are disgusted by these events that can only be down to the greed of the developer. So often now things are torn down to help some low life individual line his pockets. What people fail to realise is that when these things are gone they are gone for good.
Safe Cruisin
Colin ( Yorkshire, England )
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- My Name is Kevin and I'm a Harve-a-holic!
I have many special memories there @ The Broiler
I spent many a night @ Harvey's in the back seat of an 63 Nova S/S as a kid being baby sat by his teenaged aunt as that is the only way that she could car date.
Keep the letters going to the city council. How else are they going to know that we care about this fine peice of americana. Here is an excerp from a post that I originaly posted on the H.A.M.B. message board. There is alot of support there. This lil piece is from today 01/18/07 from HAMBer Kent aka Meatball-He also grew up @ The Broiler! "Writing works!!!! I just got a reply from Councilman Mario Guerra" This is what he said.
"Thank you for watching & caring...Watch what we do as a city next Tuesday night... The law was broken and a criminal investigation has proceeded...This cannot stand unpunished!!!
Thans again "
Dn. M.Guerra.
So that is the word! Come to the meeting this Tuesday night to see just what is going to transpire! The last filming that I did there was the "The Beach Boys-An American Family" Where my 34 roadster can be seen under the canopy with a couple of kids in it. The place was wall to wall people-and the Drive In was all lit up! Man it looked sweet!!!!! Little that I know that would be the last time I'd see it all lit up in its glory!!!!! The food was very good that night-No,It wasn't craft services that did the good job!=lol! I cruised all of the Harvey Re-Cruises during the time Lee McCulloch ran it as well as some of the later ones during the early 90's.after his untimely passing. Let make a go of this place people!
Kevin Preciado
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- Is Smyrinotis
an American? Or some kinda commie infiltrator?!?! Actually, I may have just insulted communists by referring to Smyrinotis as one. There are some things you just don’t do. What an obvious lack of any respect or regard for the people of Downey. Sometimes I wish this was still the Old West as far as justice was concerned.
Rick Randolph
Colorado Springs, CO
(California native)
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- I was outraged beyond belief when I heard about what happened to Johnies. Know that all across America we stand with you. We must preserve these nuggets of individualism in the landscape for our children.
It can be rebuilt.
Jay Sweet
Structural Engineer
Abilene Kansas
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- I am glad that the Downey City Council is showing interest in preserving Johnies. Over the last ten years it doesn't seem as though the Council or anyone else in the City cared much about preserving anything of Downey's past. If they had, a use permit would not have been given for a used car lot to be at this location. They would not be allowing the charming homes on large lots to be torn down and then be replaced by oversized butt ugly monstrosities crammed together wall to wall. The City seems hell bent on supporting these idiot developers with no architectural sense to just destroy a once beautiful city. What has happened to Johnies just falls in line with the direction the City of Downey has been going. The Landing is the only truly good thing done in the City in years and years.
Carol
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- Wow! I am in shock. I lived in Downey from 1954 to 1987 and Johnies Broiler was more than just a building in the city. I used to work across the street at a little place called the Pancake Platter. After the paperboy gig as a little guy, the Pancake Platter was my very first job. It was a pancake breakfast house that also served lunch and dinner. I worked the graveyard shift on Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm to 6am in the morning when I was 15 years old. Like most boys did in the old days, I lied about my age to get a job. They never checked either, as usual. Around the age of sixteen the Pancake Platter sold out to someone else but that didn't last long. Just before leaving there, I got my first car, a pink lowered 58 Chevy Impala. Cruising was in my blood early on. I lived in the second house from the corner of Bellflower Blvd. on Ratliffe Street that is now where the Century Freeway is. My neighbor was a lowrider and used to take me cruising long before I could drive. I moved on to McDonalds on Paramount Blvd. and would work the late shifts on Friday and Saturday nights. At the end of the night after closing McDonalds, a crew of guys would show up and off we would go to Johnies Broiler to just sit and chat, while at the same time give the waitresses a bit of a time. It was all harmless fun and the waitresses even had fun with it. Cruising nights were on Thursday, Friday, and Saturdays. We would cruise all the hot spots and then end up at Johnies to sit and share stories of the night and things going on in school and such. There are so many memories there that I wouldn't even know where to begin to start. I will never ever forget those days, they were great. The adults back then thought it wasn't good for us kids so they shut it all down. No more cruising Bellflower Blvd or none of the others. Whittier, Tweedy, Van Nuys. They shoed us away from the pool halls, Imperial Billiards, Big Johns, Black Jacks, just to name a few. It was all harmless fun, but the ones making the rules didn't think so. So now the kids have what they have, and once again, seeing that Johnies is a current wreck, its nice to see that there are still people out there making dumb choices. Too bad. If anybody is taking votes, I will vote to put Johnies back together and maybe even bring back some good old cruisin.
Roger Humphries
Downey High School, Class of 72
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- I read the Johnnie's story from a link provided by Hemmings Motor News. Since I grew up in California in the 50's and 60's I remember very well what an important part of our culture they were. It's sad that the owner and the city chose to destroy such a piece history. In some of the places I lived the city has preserved old theatres and old town shopping areas by reviving them and making them trendy. But...it is private land and we don't always have that choice.
The "Frosty" that my friends and I hung out at in Loomis (CA) was a fixture since the mid-50's. I visited it and ate there upon every trip home. A few years ago the old highway 40 through town was designated "historical". Not all that long after the sign was erected the "Frosty" was torn down. Now, we have an ugly gray spot where we once sat after school and after ball practices to refresh ourselves and talk about the day's events.
The olive trees are gone; the smell of those special burgers is gone; the benches and tables where many stolen kisses were hidden are gone. Maybe it doesn't matter all that much because people like me are not going to be around much longer either. But as we wonder what our kids and grandkids are doing to stay out of trouble, we know it won't be prepping a car to cruise and enjoy friends at the local Drive-In.
Sadly,
Ken Koester
Las Vegas, NV
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- Do keep an eye out on the City to. I have found that in other areas where a demo took place and nothing is being done because of litigation the cities will find the property as a public danger site and they will tear it down! So, I hope that you are taking measures to prevent this. I don't know who is running your site but, I am a long time resident of Downey. I moved just 6 years ago to Ma. My parents still live in Downey and will for some time. Do keep the site updated as soon as things do change. I have been on historical board from the time I moved as there are many historical home, etc here. I do know the owner of johnies and know of his plans from what he has wanted to do to the property for many years so watch out. He is guilty of this and knows how to play the system and downey....
Brian Artherton
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- Johnies Broiler wasn't named after the current owner that tore it down. He put that tag on himself because he wasn't really a restaurateur. The previous owners who changed the name were Mr. and Mrs. Johnson who had Johnies Coffee Shop at Whilshire and Fairfax.
-anon
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- My husband I have been a resident of Downey for over 20 years.
I am sad to say that I took the Broiler for granted and never visited it, always thinking - "It'll always be there". Now I am sadden and deeply angry that such an historical place has been illegally destroyed.
I always loved Downey for it's unique offerings...home of the Carpenters, Stonewood, The Mansion, Johnie's Broiler, the old McDonalds, Frisco's, Arthur's and our Rose Parade float. Now it seems Downey will go the way of cities such as Huntington Park, Vernon, South Gate and Commerce and will be sold to the highest bidder. Palm trees have taken over our beautiful citrus and magnolia trees, look-at-me-Mansions replacing the vintage ranch homes, strip malls with run down stores and car lots popping up everywhere. And now historical landmarks can be turned into cheap car lots or just flattened.
If the owner didn't want Johnie's anymore, he should have sold it to those who loved it and wanted to preserve it. He himself could have turned it into a museum/working diner and made money off of it that way. But I guess it wasn't worth the time and easier to wield an axe. I shudder to think what he plans to build there now! Maybe a palm tree nursery?
Now I just have website photos to show my children of the great Johnie's. I better have them visit the other sites I mentioned before those too mysteriously disappear into the night while the City Council and Police Dept. nap. And if any of our elected officials knowingly had something to do with this, may they be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!
Downey is not for sale! Downey must be preserved with dignity and pride. It's up to the residents to take back our city
Sincerely,
Sandra Lopeman
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- I worked in Downey at the Post Office for over 30 years. While a window clerk I met Harvey Ortner and his wife, they were great people and I often saw Mr Ortner at the Restuarant in the wee hours of the morning.When I worked the night shift 6 or 8 of us would go there for our lunch hour. The service was good and the food delicious. If the Ortners are still alive I wonder what they think about all this. It's a shame to eliminate one of the great icons of our generation-Bob Knerr Retired Postal worker
-anon
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- I lived in Downey starting in 1951. I was a Harveys Broiler Cruiser. Such happy memories of the nights spent cruising in and out of the driveway. And the Cherry Lime Rickys we drank. Cold ones in the summer and hot ones in the winter. I even met Paul Peterson (the actor) at Harveys. And oh the different car clubs. Do you remember the Saracens and the NIghtowls? And this is only 2 of many clubs that spents hours at Harveys.
I drove a lowered 52 Chevy. What fun I had in that car. And does anyone remember Ralph with the chopped 58 TBird?
And we couldn't wait until we could park in the front row.
Well teenagers really don't have a place to go anymore. Maybe that is what this area needs again. Why allow someone to take away all the memories of so many people?
Yes this was just a building but to much is taken away now days. Isn't it time to start giving back what some of the former youth had? Might just help some of the younger generation. I just wish my kids could have had an opportunity to experience what I had.
Maybe it would help take the street racers off of the street. We showed our cars back then.. The kids today have no place to show their cars.
Thanks for the memories
Kathy
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- Hi, to all, my name is Marie Davis (Almada). I now live in Toledo, Ohio. I remember growing up in the era, cruising Bellflower Blvd., Whittier Blvd. and going to Harvey's. It was the IN THING to be seen at Harvey's with your boy friend in his hot car. Oh those were the days. Then we got to relive them and go again with our own hot cars to the Car Shows which were held there. I saw many young teens there, getting interested in the car seen. You know what that means to a parent, to have there interests in cars rather than Drugs & Drinking. Well, I hope all you Car Enthusiasts can do something about Harvey's being destroyed. Why not call on all the Car Clubs that have ever had a Car Show there. Please don't let them destroy all our dreams and fun.
Thank You,
Marie Davis, Secretary
Placers Car Club
Marie
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- Hi everyone,
I am a former Downey resident living in Orange County. For those who don’t know
there are some scenes shot at Johnies Broiler inside and outside of the building including
close up shot of the yellow flashing lights and blue neon “coffee shop” sign.
The movie is Reality Bites. Rent the dvd or you can buy it at WalMart
Also I remember driving by Johnies when it was open at night. I never got the chance to go inside, but I always wanted to... thought it was a rare cool place.
Mark Barron
Email: barronavs@sbcglobal.net
BARRON AUDIO VISUAL SERVICES
www.barronavs.com
714-773-9239
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