What Happened to the Vans Shoe Store on Topanga Cyn Blvd in Canoga Park?
[Update May 2, 2013]: This building was demolished with no other news available at this time. Demolition pics can be viewed here. Also, it appears that this building was first built in 1970 (according to City-Data.com) and I am assuming was a Vans Shoe store since the beginning.
[Original Post]:
I was driving around the hood (Topanga Cyn Blvd and Nordhoff) and noticed out of nowhere that the Vans Shoe store was shut down with all the signs removed and for lease signs up. This store was located at 9039 Topanga Cyn Blvd Canoga Park. I was shocked when I saw this because that store has been there at least since the 80's if not longer. I was always fascinated with this site because it truly stood out having its own dedicated building and was sort of in an odd location which was primarily industrial mixed with some residential. And going back to the 80's there was more undeveloped land at that time so it really stood out back then. I tried to find some history on this site but couldnt find anything. It would be interesting to know what number store it was, when was it first established, and any anecdotal stories to go with it.
My guess is that like everything else thats been going on in the Valley, it was shut down due to online competition (including Vans itself) and the fact that there is a Vans store at the Topanga Mall. If anyone has any knowledge or stories, please share. I leave you with this Google street view shot (thank God for Google because I dont have any personal photos or couldnt find anything on the web) when Vans was open for business.
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| Image courtesy Google Maps |
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Marty Mcfly
Anything and everything about the San Fernando Valley. This blog will take you back in time when the valley was covered with dirt and orange groves to a leader in the space race to its current status as America's suburb. Come along and join me on this adventure, I guarantee you have been influenced/impacted by the San Fernando Valley in one form or another even if you have never visited or heard of the SFV.
It was there in 1972. I remember buying shoes with my mom back then.
ReplyDeletewe lived in simi and would shop there during the 70s
ReplyDeleteIt opened in 1968-69. Closed due to it's small size, lack of customers, it was broken into/held up multiple times a year, and the building needs a lot of repairs.
ReplyDeleteI have a theory as to why it was where it was. (And I remember it being there from my childhood in the early '70s.)
ReplyDeletePerhaps the company guessed (correctly?) that surfers heading to the beach from The Valley and points north would pass by it on the very major street of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. There was also another one on Topanga, about a mile south of Ventura as you headed up into the canyon.
HI ALL.
DeleteValley Guy,,,you ARE correct. Back then, to get out to the beach like Malibu and Zuma, you had to go out to the beach via Topanga Canyon or head down 101 to Santa Monica. I hitch hiked to the beach all the time back then, Tons of kids did the same.
I know about the store on Topanga south of Ventura because my Mom was the General Manager there for a good number of years. She was the original hire. I worked there briefly myself circa 1977 ish.
Back then the building was painted to resemble a circus tent with wide stripes running vertically from top to bottom. She also managed the on closer to Nordhoff but wasnt there in person.
Mom knew Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta and they did come to the store fairly often. I recall seeing the Original Skater magazines..dont remember the name of it..but they were featured and she had autographed copies in the store. Being a teen girl I had a MAJOR crush on Stacy but i never told him. They often brought others with them and I probably did meet Jay Adams and Sid, So sad about Jay in the later times.
My mother's name was Wanda. She was a very cool mom !
I still love Vans. When the flick " Lords of Dogtown " came out, i saw it many times
I DO remember going to the Amusement Park that later burned down and was the backdrop of the surf scenes in the flick. I want to say it was Palisades Park but im not sure at all.
When I see the local teens in my area wearing Vans,,the brand is still wildly popular, I get the nostaliga feels. My HS Bf was a well known surfer back then too.
GOOD times !
I remember around early 1970 driving by there with a carload of people fairly high and everyone laughing because it just said, "Tennis Shoes" on the side of the building.
ReplyDeleteIt just struck us as pretty funny.
The Valley then was a magical place.