‘It Started in Glendvvvale’ Annual Community Awards Recognition Banquet

If you’ve ever researched what businesses “started” in Glendale you might be really surprised. There are actually a lot of “firsts!”

The idea of investigating what businesses started in Glendale was the brainchild of one of the Chamber’s directors. He wanted to create a theme for the awards banquet to give it some cohesiveness. This will be the second year that we have a theme for our event. Last year’s show was great, and this year will build on that success. I know this event will be one that you won’t want to miss.

In 1923, the year the Montrose Chamber was founded, Glendale was the fastest growing city in America. Wow. So it comes as no surprise that so many enduring businesses were “Started in Glendale.”

Now, let’s see what we found once we did a little research.

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream. When you think of ice cream, I am sure that this business is one of the first companies that comes to mind: Baskin-Robbins. And guess where it started? Glendale! We will be honoring it with our Legacy Award at this dinner and will share its story. Baskin-Robbins is the world’s largest chain of ice cream specialty shop restaurants and was founded in 1945 by Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins in Glendale, California. Store No. 1 was located at 1130 S. Adams in Glendale and on May 20, 1948 it was granted the first franchise covering the sale of ice cream. It has since expanded to 7,500 locations, including nearly 2,500 shops in the United States and over 5,000 internationally.

We are so pleased to have been able to get in touch with some of the Baskin and Robbins families. Elka Weiner, a sister of Robbins, and the widow of Baskin (also a sister of Robbins), Shirley Baskin Familian, will both be attending the event. We might even be having Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream for dessert. What a wonderful addition!

Like hamburgers? Well, Bob’s Big Boy was founded in Glendale in 1936. The original Bob’s Big Boy (initially called Bob’s Pantry) was the 10-stool hamburger stand in Glendale, California that founder Bob Wian purchased in 1936 and expanded into a drive-in restaurant. A second Glendale Bob’s drive-in was located on the northwest corner of East Broadway and Maryland Street. The Bob’s Big Boy Restaurant located at 4211 Riverside Drive in Burbank is the oldest remaining Bob’s Big Boy in the United States.

Panda Express also was founded in Glendale in 1983 at the then-newly opened Glendale Galleria. Panda Express is actually an offshoot of the Panda Inn in Pasadena. In 1982, owners Peggy and Andrew Cherng became acquainted with then-UCLA head football coach Terry Donahue, as well as Terry’s brother Dan, who happened to be in the real estate business. Through this connection in 1983, Donahue Schriber Real Estate, the manager of the Glendale Galleria, invited the Cherngs to develop a fast-food version of Panda Inn for the Galleria’s food court, and Panda Express was launched that October.

Color Me Mine was founded in Glendale in 1991. Got Paint? Color Me Mine is the world’s leading paint-it-yourself ceramics franchise studio chain with nearly 150 locations in operation in 26 U.S. states and 10 countries around the world.

Next is a business that will not surprise you, but it’s great to claim “It Started in Glendale.” Walt Disney Imagineering. Walt Disney Imagineering was founded in 1952 as WED Enterprises to design and build the world’s first theme park, Disneyland. Yep, right here in Glendale.

Finally, although it is not a business, it is very significant. The country’s first Vietnam War Memorial was built in Montrose in 1967 at the height of the Vietnam war. That is one we truly should be proud of.

Please make your reservation now for our Annual Community Recognition Awards Banquet on Jan. 25 at the Oakmont Country Club. You can pay online at www.montrosechamber.org or call the Chamber office at (818) 249-7171. We hope to see you there.

Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce: Your source for all things local! Our mission is to actively support and enrich the community, vitality and pride of Montrose, to help preserve the historic district and small-town atmosphere, and to promote economic stability and positive, productive relationships within Montrose and the surrounding communities.

  melinda clarke