Nostalgia — The SCV Talk Archive

Nostalgia

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

I walked by this old quilt hanging near the bathrooms of the Westfield Valencia Town Center mall on Saturday and, after pausing to reflect, I got a little teary-eyed and nostalgic for the SCV of the mid 90s.

It was a time of more certainty and simplicity as far as local politics were concerned. You had the smart and aggressive cowboys at Newhall Land enjoying the realization of a built-out, high-quality Valencia, a successful mall, and the new people that attracted. On the other hand you had cranky no-growthers and reasonable slow-growthers who would populate the Tell It To the Signal column with rants about NLF. Then you had a young and spunky city with an inspiring, up-from-your-bootstraps tale of self-determination against the will of the nation’s most populous County.

The years were 1992 to 1996 and they were heady days indeed. Everything was truly local, from the hotshot developers at Newhall Land to the new City (located just across the street!) to The Signal. The quilt proudly reflects this, showing off the institutions our community is proud of from local school districts to CalArts, COC, Magic Mountain, the paper, and more.

Those institutions are still here, but you can’t help but feel things have changed for the worse nowadays. Henry Mayo’s company was bought by those sharks in Florida (Lennar) who promptly ran the proud SS Newhall Land aground after the boom years. Then came the confusing BK process (I think I remember blogging about rumors that Arab sheiks were going to acquire a piece of NLF), the divestment of many properties (but not Newhall Ranch) and finally the entrance of Five Points Communities and some Orange County dude named Emile Haddad.

Orange County? For real?

To top it off, Newhall Land moved out of its iconic building on Valencia Blvd and to a new, generic building on the west side of town, where its destiny lies.

The same is true of Magic Mountain. Controlling ownership has changed a few times since this quilt was made, and each time it was easy to feel as though an important part of our local economy and LA County’s mental map was becoming a little less certain (especially when some were making noise about leveling the park and building homes on it!)

The Signal? Well, it has remained The Signal and nothing’s going to change for that paper so long as its owned by Morris in Georgia.

And finally, the mall itself has changed. It used to be an SCV original article. Who can forget the awesome murals that hung all over the mall? The ones in the old food court were particularly beautiful; I remember staring at them while on my lunch break when I worked at the old Sweet Factory.

Now our Valencia Town Center mall is just another franchised property owned by the Aussie outfit Westfield. The murals are harder to find and are featured less prominently, and the quilt above is still located near the bathrooms. Oh sure they built Town Center Drive and the Patios, and it all looks nice and has some great shopping, but I can’t help but feel it’s lost a bit of its original character.

Maybe I’m just a jaded online shopper who has a romantic view of the SCV of the 90s but I remember when the mall opened and it was a special day. We finally had our own mall. And I, as a teen, liked to cruise it. Perhaps the quilt reminds me of that as much as it reminds me of the SCV back then.

Comments (19)

Your Web GuruFebruary 22, 2011 at 2:58 pm

I’m sure you’ll get a lot of ‘old-timer’ critics who will tell stories from “way back when,” but I moved here in ’93 in an effort to be closer to my commute to the San Fernando Valley. What struck me when I moved here was the total sense of community and how “Un-L.A.” the SCV was. The mall had just opened, but there were a lot of local businesses that added so much flair to the town (most are long gone by now). One of my first stops upon moving into the house I had just purchased was the Ace Hardware on Bouquet, and remembering how friendly and helpful they were. I was so bummed when they closed when OSH appeared down the street. I’m not one of those gate-keepers, and I’m all for responsible growth that keeps the city alive, but we’ve lost that sense of community with so many big box and corporate entities moving in. I mean really, do we NEED 3 Wal-Marts? And the Awesometown campaign sounds like someone won first prize in their high school marketing class. So anyway, no sense in waxing too nostalgic. Despite the long gone days of the memorable 90s, I’d rather live in this valley than anywhere else.

Joe GrandeFebruary 22, 2011 at 3:28 pm

I’ve never been to Town Center. Valencia is a little sterile for my taste.

ReaderMamaFebruary 22, 2011 at 4:11 pm

I understand the nostalgia. I feel the same way about Ventura, which is where I spent a significant portion of my growing up. The mall there was a lot smaller and not enclosed back then. I have fond memories of shopping there with my mother and enjoying a treat afterward at the House of Pies. Now it is huge, crowded, hard to find parking, and it echos inside. The cozy community feel is long gone. There are a lot of us former “Venturans” who wax nostalgic about that town. In fact, there is even a web page of businesses that “used to be” there. http://www.venturatoday.net/venturalegends.html I think that’s the most significant problem with SoCal — so many people, so many cars, and everyone in a hurry. That’s one reason why the “anti-growth” crowd wants so badly to stop the non-stop growth. Unfortunately there is only one constant in life: change. So wallow in nostalgia for a little while; then get back on your bike and move toward the future. Some day you will look back on today as “the good old days” too.

AndyFebruary 22, 2011 at 5:42 pm

Oh man, I need to see this quilt in person. Great post, Jeff!

Lori RivasFebruary 22, 2011 at 8:03 pm

I miss Jan Heidt’s bookstore, but am thankful that the Video Depot stays in business.

Cheryl PhillipsFebruary 22, 2011 at 9:47 pm

@Lori – I miss all the independent bookstores that have come and gone, including Jan’s, since Barnes and Borders opened. I have a feeling we’ve come full circle! Big Box stores have to pay huge rents and sell lots of “stuff” besides books to make it – a down economy doesn’t fit into their corporate plan, hence, bye-bye Borders. Maybe the small, locally-owned bookstores will be back. I hope so – actual booksellers that know what a Newbery Medal, Caldecott, and Theodore Geisel award is, and which titles won those awards. Booksellers that can excite kids about YA novels, graphics and anime titles. Booksellers that know about Jon Scieszka’s book, GUYS READ, that’s got “10 stories guaranteed to delight, amuse and possibly make you spit your milk in your friend’s face….” Jon Sciescka who has made it his mission to get books out there that reluctant boy readers will want to gobble up and come back for more silly, hilarious and yes, even stupid stories. I miss Holiday Hardware, Lee’s Hallmark, Joy Art, and Long’s Drug Store. I miss The Crocodile Bistro, Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant in Plaza Posada, Tim-Tom’s and both of the Bob’s Big Boys. And Thatcher’s Stationery Store – weren’t they all just here a few years ago before the quilt, before the mall when we were still a one-horse no mall town?

Lori RivasFebruary 22, 2011 at 9:54 pm

Did you ever buy from that fresh bread place? Every day featured distinct flavors — I made the trek every week for the chocolate bread. So divine. When did Joy Art close? It hasn’t been that long since I had something framed there.

Cheryl PhillipsFebruary 23, 2011 at 10:12 am

I did buy that bread and it was amazing. Joy Art has been gone for quite a few months now. There wasn’t another place in this Valley that could come close to their great framing prices and they did a beautiful job as well.

LarMccFebruary 22, 2011 at 10:05 pm

Bob’s was (and still is at the Burbank location) one of my favorites! And Tim Toms had the best buns, fries and blue cheese dressing. There was at one time a Reseda location, but it is gone too. How about the Hi Chic Drive-In on San Fernando Road? It was a total In N Out ripoff, and it was just as good.

dorothymantoothFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:13 am

Please don’t get me started on Tim Tom’s. I wake up from dreams with my mouth watering. A Tim Tom 2+2 with sauce, lettuce and grilled onions, well-done fries and homemade ranch to dip them in and a Root Beer Freeze are the flavors of my youth. If I was on death row, this is what I would ask for as my last meal. Ahhhhhhhhh…….

navigatorFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:41 am

Thanks for that visual! I’m off to BBB!

LarMccFebruary 22, 2011 at 9:56 pm

What mall? I remember when McBean turned into a 2 lane road at V Blvd and went right through the middle of where the mall now is. I applied for and was hired to work at the new mega store (Mervyns) that was being built. I miss the drinks at Tiny Naylors in the ‘naked lady’ glasses, using a fake ID to get into the Ranch House Inn bar, the After Hours club at Magic Mountain and of course Indian Dunes for off road motorcycling. Most off all, I miss the small town feeling we had here. Yes, there was 100k+ people in the valley, but it never felt like it. If a car was broken into, it made the signal’s crime watch section. I always bumped in to someone I knew no matter where I went. And most of all, if something happened, everyone seemed to know about it within 24 hours. For better or worse, it’s something we will never get back.

NickelDimeFebruary 22, 2011 at 10:21 pm

“Progress is the attraction that moves humanity.” – Marcus Garvey Great post, Jeff. I didn’t grow up here but started what’s become a popular Facebook page about nostalgia in my own hometown. The pain is shared!

MikeFebruary 22, 2011 at 11:37 pm

I share much of the nostalgia, but if I’m being honest, my feeling at the time was that I couldn’t wait for the town to change, to progress. I wanted a new road here, a new restaurant there. The explosion of chain stores wasn’t unique to our valley. It happened to much of America right around the same time. It’s lamentable, but it was probably unavoidable. Ultimately, their success and prevalence says more about us than our leaders or the real estate developers. There’s a lot I miss, but all told, I’d rather it this way than that way.

NateFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:38 am

Well put

IHeartSCVFebruary 22, 2011 at 11:46 pm

It strikes me as tacky–albeit symbolic–that the quilt is mounted by the toilets.

OlenkaFebruary 23, 2011 at 10:32 am

Co-sign. I always thought they were ugly.

Samuel AdamsFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:38 am

I miss the mid to late 1980s when there was so much optimism in this valley as cityhood became a reality, and The Signal was still run by the Newhalls — even though it was owned by Morris then too — who understood what this valley and leadership was all about.

navigatorFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:47 am

Living here from the early 70′s I really appreciate all the modern conveniences that have gone in but miss the old ones that were discussed adnauseum awhile back. The drive-in, Bob’s Big Boy, the races, etc. Most of my nostalgia still remains with music.

Your Web GuruFebruary 22, 2011 at 2:58 pm
I’m sure you’ll get a lot of ‘old-timer’ critics who will tell stories from “way back when,” but I moved here in ’93 in an effort to be closer to my commute to the San Fernando Valley. What struck me when I moved here was the total sense of community and how “Un-L.A.” the SCV was. The mall had just opened, but there were a lot of local businesses that added so much flair to the town (most are long gone by now). One of my first stops upon moving into the house I had just purchased was the Ace Hardware on Bouquet, and remembering how friendly and helpful they were. I was so bummed when they closed when OSH appeared down the street. I’m not one of those gate-keepers, and I’m all for responsible growth that keeps the city alive, but we’ve lost that sense of community with so many big box and corporate entities moving in. I mean really, do we NEED 3 Wal-Marts? And the Awesometown campaign sounds like someone won first prize in their high school marketing class. So anyway, no sense in waxing too nostalgic. Despite the long gone days of the memorable 90s, I’d rather live in this valley than anywhere else.
Joe GrandeFebruary 22, 2011 at 3:28 pm
I’ve never been to Town Center. Valencia is a little sterile for my taste.
ReaderMamaFebruary 22, 2011 at 4:11 pm
I understand the nostalgia. I feel the same way about Ventura, which is where I spent a significant portion of my growing up. The mall there was a lot smaller and not enclosed back then. I have fond memories of shopping there with my mother and enjoying a treat afterward at the House of Pies. Now it is huge, crowded, hard to find parking, and it echos inside. The cozy community feel is long gone. There are a lot of us former “Venturans” who wax nostalgic about that town. In fact, there is even a web page of businesses that “used to be” there. http://www.venturatoday.net/venturalegends.html I think that’s the most significant problem with SoCal — so many people, so many cars, and everyone in a hurry. That’s one reason why the “anti-growth” crowd wants so badly to stop the non-stop growth. Unfortunately there is only one constant in life: change. So wallow in nostalgia for a little while; then get back on your bike and move toward the future. Some day you will look back on today as “the good old days” too.
AndyFebruary 22, 2011 at 5:42 pm
Oh man, I need to see this quilt in person. Great post, Jeff!
Lori RivasFebruary 22, 2011 at 8:03 pm
I miss Jan Heidt’s bookstore, but am thankful that the Video Depot stays in business.
Cheryl PhillipsFebruary 22, 2011 at 9:47 pm
@Lori – I miss all the independent bookstores that have come and gone, including Jan’s, since Barnes and Borders opened. I have a feeling we’ve come full circle! Big Box stores have to pay huge rents and sell lots of “stuff” besides books to make it – a down economy doesn’t fit into their corporate plan, hence, bye-bye Borders. Maybe the small, locally-owned bookstores will be back. I hope so – actual booksellers that know what a Newbery Medal, Caldecott, and Theodore Geisel award is, and which titles won those awards. Booksellers that can excite kids about YA novels, graphics and anime titles. Booksellers that know about Jon Scieszka’s book, GUYS READ, that’s got “10 stories guaranteed to delight, amuse and possibly make you spit your milk in your friend’s face….” Jon Sciescka who has made it his mission to get books out there that reluctant boy readers will want to gobble up and come back for more silly, hilarious and yes, even stupid stories. I miss Holiday Hardware, Lee’s Hallmark, Joy Art, and Long’s Drug Store. I miss The Crocodile Bistro, Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant in Plaza Posada, Tim-Tom’s and both of the Bob’s Big Boys. And Thatcher’s Stationery Store – weren’t they all just here a few years ago before the quilt, before the mall when we were still a one-horse no mall town?
Lori RivasFebruary 22, 2011 at 9:54 pm
Did you ever buy from that fresh bread place? Every day featured distinct flavors — I made the trek every week for the chocolate bread. So divine. When did Joy Art close? It hasn’t been that long since I had something framed there.
Cheryl PhillipsFebruary 23, 2011 at 10:12 am
I did buy that bread and it was amazing. Joy Art has been gone for quite a few months now. There wasn’t another place in this Valley that could come close to their great framing prices and they did a beautiful job as well.
LarMccFebruary 22, 2011 at 10:05 pm
Bob’s was (and still is at the Burbank location) one of my favorites! And Tim Toms had the best buns, fries and blue cheese dressing. There was at one time a Reseda location, but it is gone too. How about the Hi Chic Drive-In on San Fernando Road? It was a total In N Out ripoff, and it was just as good.
dorothymantoothFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:13 am
Please don’t get me started on Tim Tom’s. I wake up from dreams with my mouth watering. A Tim Tom 2+2 with sauce, lettuce and grilled onions, well-done fries and homemade ranch to dip them in and a Root Beer Freeze are the flavors of my youth. If I was on death row, this is what I would ask for as my last meal. Ahhhhhhhhh…….
navigatorFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:41 am
Thanks for that visual! I’m off to BBB!
LarMccFebruary 22, 2011 at 9:56 pm
What mall? I remember when McBean turned into a 2 lane road at V Blvd and went right through the middle of where the mall now is. I applied for and was hired to work at the new mega store (Mervyns) that was being built. I miss the drinks at Tiny Naylors in the ‘naked lady’ glasses, using a fake ID to get into the Ranch House Inn bar, the After Hours club at Magic Mountain and of course Indian Dunes for off road motorcycling. Most off all, I miss the small town feeling we had here. Yes, there was 100k+ people in the valley, but it never felt like it. If a car was broken into, it made the signal’s crime watch section. I always bumped in to someone I knew no matter where I went. And most of all, if something happened, everyone seemed to know about it within 24 hours. For better or worse, it’s something we will never get back.
NickelDimeFebruary 22, 2011 at 10:21 pm
“Progress is the attraction that moves humanity.” – Marcus Garvey Great post, Jeff. I didn’t grow up here but started what’s become a popular Facebook page about nostalgia in my own hometown. The pain is shared!
MikeFebruary 22, 2011 at 11:37 pm
I share much of the nostalgia, but if I’m being honest, my feeling at the time was that I couldn’t wait for the town to change, to progress. I wanted a new road here, a new restaurant there. The explosion of chain stores wasn’t unique to our valley. It happened to much of America right around the same time. It’s lamentable, but it was probably unavoidable. Ultimately, their success and prevalence says more about us than our leaders or the real estate developers. There’s a lot I miss, but all told, I’d rather it this way than that way.
NateFebruary 23, 2011 at 1:38 am
Well put
IHeartSCVFebruary 22, 2011 at 11:46 pm
It strikes me as tacky–albeit symbolic–that the quilt is mounted by the toilets.
OlenkaFebruary 23, 2011 at 10:32 am
Co-sign. I always thought they were ugly.
Samuel AdamsFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:38 am
I miss the mid to late 1980s when there was so much optimism in this valley as cityhood became a reality, and The Signal was still run by the Newhalls — even though it was owned by Morris then too — who understood what this valley and leadership was all about.
navigatorFebruary 23, 2011 at 9:47 am
Living here from the early 70′s I really appreciate all the modern conveniences that have gone in but miss the old ones that were discussed adnauseum awhile back. The drive-in, Bob’s Big Boy, the races, etc. Most of my nostalgia still remains with music.