Tail o’ the Pup is an iconic Los Angeles, California hot dog stand actually shaped like a hot dog. Built in 1946, the small, walk-up stand has been noted as a prime example of "programmatic" or "mimetic"[1] novelty architecture. It was one of the last surviving mid-20th century buildings that were built in the shapes of the products they sold.[2]
| Tail o' the Pup | |
|---|---|
 Exterior of Tail o' the Pup at its current location in 2024 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Novelty architecture |
| Address | 8512 Santa Monica Boulevard |
| Town or city | West Hollywood, California |
| Country | United States |
| Completed | 1946 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Milton J. Black |
History
editDesigned by architect Milton Black, the stand opened at 311 La Cienega Boulevard[3] in June 1946 to luminary-studded, searchlight-lit fanfare. Eddie Blake purchased the Pup in 1976 from its celebrity owners, the dance team of Veloz and Yolanda.[4][5]
Despite its appearance in countless movies, television programs[6] and commercials, the stand faced demolition in the mid-1980s, creating an outcry that resulted in the stand being moved a couple of blocks from its original location at 311 North La Cienega Boulevard to 329 North San Vicente Boulevard.
The hot dog stand closed in December 2005. The structure was moved into a Torrance warehouse after Regent Properties, a development company, purchased the Pup's site from landlord Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and announced plans to build 152 condominium and apartment units.[4]
The City of Los Angeles in 2006 declared Tail o’ the Pup to be a cultural landmark.[7][8]
Blake's grandson Jay Miller and his wife Nicole inherited the Pup in 2017. After a failed attempt to have it reopened in a partnership with Killer Shrimp,[9] the structure was donated to the Valley Relics Museum.[10][5]
The 1933 Group purchased the structure in 2018 with plans to restore the stand to its original appearance, find a new location, and reopen it.[5][11]
The stand reopened in July 2022 in West Hollywood.[12]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Water and Power Associates".
- ^ Betsky, Aaron (July 2, 1992). "Hot Dog Stand Withstands Blitz of Commercialism—With Relish", Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
- ^ "Alison Martino Tracks Historic 'Tail O' the Pup' in Web Video Series Premiere". 4 June 2014.
- ^ a b Pool, Bob (April 11, 2010), "Quite a Tale for the Pup", Los Angeles Times, retrieved April 13, 2010
- ^ a b c Nichols, Chris; Martino, Alison (July 31, 2018). "Tail o' the Pup Has New Owners and Is Reopening in L.A." Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
- ^ Columbo "Murder by the Book" (1971) Season 1 episode 1
- ^ Young, Jacy (March 28, 2009). "LAistory: Tail O' The Pup". LAist. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
- ^ "Tail O' the Pup Reopens as a Food Truck Next Week". September 2016.
- ^ "The Tail O' the Pup hot dog stand is back, with a food truck". Los Angeles Times. 29 September 2016.
- ^ Nichols, Chris (June 12, 2017). "It's The End of the Line for Tail o' the Pup". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
- ^ "Tail o' the Pup". 1933 Group. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
- ^ Elliot, Farley; Lee, Wonho Frank (July 8, 2022). "LA Legend Tail O' the Pup is Serving Hot Dogs Once Again". LA Eater. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
External links
edit- "Tail o' the Pup (profile)". PreserveLA. November 19, 2005.
- Roderick, Kevin (November 9, 2005). "Tail o' the Pup clarified *". LA Observed.
- Jennings, Lisa (January 6, 2006). "Landmark cases in L.A. pit beloved eateries against new development". Nation's Restaurant News.
- The Tail o' the Pup image
- The Tail o' the Pup image via: Taschen, CNN
- The Tail o' the Pup image via: CityNews Calgary
