Googie World Expo 2024

Googie World Expo

The Googie World Expo is a two-day celebration of exuberant and futuristic mid-century modern architecture and design.

The first event, on Saturday November 16 will include speakers, vendors, book signings, and an exhibition of 3-D photography exploring the many facets of modern architecture and design. The expo will be held at the Valley Relics Museum in Van Nuys with proceeds benefiting the museum. Click here to buy tickets.

Speakers include Chris Nichols on Bowlarama and midcentury bowling architecture, Alison Martino of Vintage Los Angeles sharing rare and recently restored images of L.A. architecture and street scenes from her vast photographic archive, Kathy Kikkert on the historic googie neon signage of Los Angeles and her book Hollywood Signs. We will get a sneak preview of the extensive restoration work about to commence on a classic Armet & Davis coffee shop in Van Nuys. Architectural historian Carrie Chasteen will share details on the 1958 Stanley Burke’s (later Corky’s) building and the future in store for this landmark. And finally, we will don special 3-D glasses to view the 1950s photography of L.A. signs and streets by George Mann presented by Eric Kurland of the 3-D Space stereoscopic museum in Echo Park.

Books will be available for purchase and signing by the authors.

Then join us again on Saturday, November 23 for a guided tour of googie bowling alleys led by Chris Nichols. Our luxury motor coach will explore iconic midcentury landmarks created in the 1950s by the masters of the style. We will visit historic buildings and meet with experts, including Jennifer Mermilliod, the historian behind the recent restoration of Covina Bowl (1956, Powers, Daly & DeRosa) Experts, owners, and designers will join us and share memories of these futuristic places. This one-of-a-kind special tour has a limited capacity so be sure to get your tickets today.

Schedule

Event	Date	Time	Location
Expo	November 16, 2024	2:00 pm - Kathy Kikkert on Hollywood Signs 2:45 pm - Chris Nichols on Bowlarama 3:30 pm - Alison Martino on Vintage Los Angeles Break - BOOK SIGNINGS 4:45 pm - Carrie Chasteen on Stanley Burke's restoration 5:30 pm - Eric Kurland on George Mann and 3D googie Program subject to change	Valley Relics Museum 7900 Balboa Blvd. C3 & C4 Van Nuys, CA 91406 (Entrance on Stagg St.)
$15 + Fee Buy Expo Tickets
Bus Tour	November 23, 2024	1:00 pm - 6:00 pm	Exact rendezvous point sent upon confirmation of payment.

What is Googie?

Googie is the exuberant and futuristic mid-century modern style associated with a series of California coffee shops in the 1950s. Historian Alan Hess has dubbed it "ultramodern roadside architecture". The restaurant that inspired the name, Googie's, was designed by John Lautner and opened on Sunset Boulevard in 1949. The tiny café was made of steel and painted orange. It was eye-catching and soon became a favorite of cops and truck drivers, but the young and avant-garde loved it too. Actors like James Dean and Maila Nurmi enjoyed hanging out in the cool, modernist space drinking coffee with friends. Soon, architects began to incorporate walls of glass and shapely rooflines into their designs. Architects Louis Armet and Eldon Davis wholly embraced googie and created hundreds of restaurants, bowling centers, and cocktail lounges that made potential customers stop and pay attention. Once inside, these were sumptuous otherworldly creations that combined elements of the primitive and the modern. An Armet & Davis coffee shop was often a confection of colorful space-age plastics and rugged flagstone that would rise up out of a tropical garden.

The style was repeated in prototypes for Denny's and Bob's Big Boy and quickly spread all over the country. The ebullient lines were so modern that designers in every field felt the influence. It's no wonder The Jetsons was created in Los Angeles.

Today the species is all but extinct. Only a few hardy originals survive, but new owners who appreciate the ability of a googie coffee shop to attract customers are rediscovering the genre. Googie's impact has been felt for generations and the Googie World Expo will give you a deeper appreciation for this endangered style.

Photos by George Mann

Image courtesy 3D-SPACE

Image courtesty 3-D Space

Image courtesy 3-D SPACE

Googie Bowling Alley Bus Tour

Join us again on Saturday, November 23 for a guided tour of googie bowling alleys led by Chris Nichols. Our luxury motor coach will explore iconic midcentury landmarks created in the 1950s by the masters of the style. We will visit historic buildings and meet with experts, including Jennifer Mermilliod, the historian behind the recent restoration of Covina Bowl (1956, Powers, Daly & DeRosa) Experts, owners, and designers will join us and share memories of these futuristic places. This one-of-a-kind special tour has a limited capacity so be sure to get your tickets today.

Please join us for a luxury motor coach tour of googie bowling alleys Saturday, November 23 from 1-6pm. Arrive on time, you don't want to miss the bus.

TICKETS $80 per person includes bus transportation, snacks and all admissions.

Exact rendezvous point will be sent to you on confirmation of payment.
Rain or shine, no refunds or exchanges. Locations and guests subject to change. Enter at your own risk.