More Great Signage: The Pacific Center Famima!!
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — A week ago I mentioned how much I liked the aesthetic of the new Rite Aid at 5th and Broadway. Just today I noticed the signage for the not-yet-opened Famima!! in the Pacific Center and have to say that I'm really pleased with it as well.
The solid grey bar with cut-out letters works really well, and the round sign that sticks out from the building is great. This is particularly true when it's viewed in a pairing with the sign for the new Starbucks on the corner.
This Famima!! has a completely different exterior the one at 800 S. Figueroa, but both work very well. In designing storefronts it's crucial to make the product fit the building and I think all three stores accomplish this quite nicely.
In related news, this second Downtown Famima!! is really making progress and looks like it could be open within a week or two.
Update (Tuesday): Sean_Yoda_Rouse put a photo in the flickr poll this morning that shows the store exterior lit up at night. I really like how the color only shows up after dark.
Fred Camino on January 16, 2007, at 01:00AM – #1
According to the Famima website this store should open sometime this month. And I couldn't agree more with your opinion about the signage, it's great to see that they were able to move away from the typical black and neon green for this location without fear of losing the Famima "feel". So classy. Bravo!
David Kennedy on January 16, 2007, at 08:49AM – #2
Hopefully, the effect of these two new stores will further energizing that section of 6th street. The Famina store over on Figueroa really pops out because of its lighting.
I've been pleasantly surprised the past few months with how busy the Wolfgang Puck restaurant at 6th & Hope is well into the early evening. The other night, there must have been twenty people there around 9 p.m. That new Library Bar undoubtedly helps. The Subway store at the Rapid stop is open late, too. More of these kinds of places will only draw more pedestrians and more businesses like them.
Scott Mercer on January 16, 2007, at 11:36AM – #3
Curbed LA is reporting the AT&T Center (not the South Park building formerly known as the Transamerica Center, but that building at Sixth and Grand in the background of the Famima/Starbucks sign picture) is going loft! Floors 1-15 for commercial condos, and floors 15-30 for live/work lofts! So that corner is shaping up to be quite a hopping little place with lots of residents. The building across the street (south side of Sixth) that has the Carl's Jr. in it is also a loft conversion, but I don't think people are living in there quite yet. Anyone know about that one?
Scott Mercer on January 16, 2007, at 11:38AM – #4
Whoops, floors 16-42 will be lofts. Mistake on my part.
B on January 16, 2007, at 01:11PM – #5
Scott's referring to a building formally known as 611 Place. The building itself is rather ugly.
shannon on January 16, 2007, at 01:41PM – #6
i got an impromptu look at a few spaces in the carl's jr. building recently and it looks nice on the inside. very much looking forward to an official viewing which by all accounts should be soon...
D on January 16, 2007, at 01:45PM – #7
Sign looks great. I wish these few signs were part of an effor to make all the signs uniform and to fit under a plan, rather than luck. we shall see. With signs like these, there is less clutter, a better general look and its classy.
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on January 16, 2007, at 01:57PM – #8
Scott: There have been rumblings about 611's plans for a while now. I'll believe it when I see work going on.
Pacific Grand Lofts, across the street, is sort of an odd project for this market. It's nearing completion but there have been no plans announced for how the units would be sold. The building's actually listed for sale, though without a price. It seems Izak might be testing the market before he decides whether to market the building himself.