{"product_id":"velvet-turtle-los-angeles-1970s","title":"Velvet Turtle, Los Angeles 1970s","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Velvet Turtle was a popular chain of fine dining restaurants founded in California in 1965 by Wally Botello.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCleverly branded – the restaurant’s logo was a snappily-dressed turtle in a top hat and bow tie – the chain grew to 20 locations Los Angeles, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Fresno and Menlo Park and others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 1970s, Wally sold the chain and moved to Palm Desert where he opened the popular Wally’s Desert Turtle restaurant, now run by his family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe also owned another chain of restaurants called The Wooden Shoe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy 1986, Marriott was owner of The Velvet Turtle locations. Then the company sold the properties to a private equity group, a move that signaled the beginning of the end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe trend for casual dining – as opposed to the semi-formal atmosphere of The Velvet Turtle – hastened the chain’s demise and the last one closed in the early 1990s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Velvet Turtle is still fondly remembered by its old customers and a Velvet Turtle sign in downtown LA – the building was demolished in 2014 and is now a vacant lot – is all that remains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s at the corner of Hill Street and Ord Street in Chinatown and a reminder of that fabulous turtle logo.\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":57492266090662,"sku":"bhd1790054248268","price":16.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"11x14 Archival Print (Unframed) $30.00","offer_id":57492266123430,"sku":"sho1790054248269","price":23.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"13x19 Archival Print (Unframed) $40.00","offer_id":57492266156198,"sku":"tfi1790054248270","price":25.2,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x20 Archival Print (Unframed) $55.00","offer_id":57492266188966,"sku":"mce1790054248271","price":36.3,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x24 Archival Print (Unframed) $85.00","offer_id":57492266221734,"sku":"rdz1790054248272","price":65.45,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36 Archival Print (Unframed) $135.00","offer_id":57492266254502,"sku":"cwp1790054248273","price":99.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/9133\/8662\/files\/velvet-turtle-los-angeles-1970s_1.webp?v=1790054252","url":"https:\/\/coffeetamper.shop\/products\/velvet-turtle-los-angeles-1970s","provider":"My Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}