{"product_id":"the-penguin-santa-monica-1960s","title":"The Penguin, Santa Monica 1960s","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Penguin cocktail lounge, restaurant and coffee shop opened in Santa Monica, California, in 1959 and what a beauty it was.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 90s, this important building went through a drab period and became a dentist’s office.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHappily, it has now been restored to its Googie glory and is the popular Mel’s Diner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original Penguin was created by the famous architectural duo Armet \u0026amp; Davis who also designed Norm’s, Pann’s and Johnie’s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was a prime example of Googie architecture, popular in the 1950s and 60s and inspired by America’s Space Age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith its sharp, angled roof, high ceilings, big windows, bright lights and fabulous neon sign featuring a penguin in his tux and bow tie, generations of Californians went there to munch burgers and sip malts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRather inexplicably, the establishment was turned into the Western Dental Center, with most of its fabulous design features covered up.  The soaring ceilings were lowered, and the walls were covered by sensible beige drywall panels.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the dentists who worked there made an important contribution to its history by helping to save the famous neon Penguin sign.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2000, when the Santa Monica Meritorious Sign Review Board met to pass judgement on all non-conforming signs in the area as part of city ordinance, Samuel Gruenbaum, CEO of Western Dental, appeared before the board to plead the Penguin’s case.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe even argued the penguin’s viability as a dental mascot, according to a report in the LA Times. ‘They’re birds, so you wouldn’t think that they could have teeth in the beak. But if they did, they could have cavities,’ he said.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOut of 560 signs under review, the Penguin and 92 others were saved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2016, Mel’s Drive-In owner Steven Weiss signed a long-term lease for the property at the junction of Olympic and Lincoln Boulevards and beautifully restored this mid-century property.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis image is from a matchbook from the original Penguin – therefore with no menu - and is probably dated in the 1960s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGallery quality Giclée print on natural white, matte, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using Epson archival inks. Custom printed with border for matting and framing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb style=\"line-height: 1.2;\"\u003eEach order includes a print of the interior menu.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb style=\"line-height: 1.2;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAll printed in USA.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Vintage Menu Art","offers":[{"title":"8.5x11\" Archival Print (Unframed) $25.00","offer_id":57491943948454,"sku":"mfw1790052846533","price":15.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"11x14 Archival Print (Unframed) $30.00","offer_id":57491943981222,"sku":"kzv1790052846534","price":19.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"13x19 Archival Print (Unframed) $40.00","offer_id":57491944013990,"sku":"adb1790052846535","price":29.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x20 Archival Print (Unframed) $55.00","offer_id":57491944046758,"sku":"hde1790052846536","price":33.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x24 Archival Print (Unframed) $85.00","offer_id":57491944079526,"sku":"hxy1790052846537","price":59.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36 Archival Print (Unframed) $135.00","offer_id":57491944112294,"sku":"zrd1790052846538","price":103.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/9133\/8662\/files\/the-penguin-santa-monica-1960s_1.webp?v=1790052850","url":"https:\/\/coffeetamper.shop\/products\/the-penguin-santa-monica-1960s","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}