Chris Nichols Tours the Best of Armet & Davis for the Googie World Expo

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Architects Victor NewloveArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsArchitects Victor NewloveArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholsand John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsA sketch of Googie's from inside the offices of Armet Davis NewloveArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsA sketch of Googie's from inside the offices of Armet Davis NewloveArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsA sketch of Googie's from inside the offices of Armet Davis NewloveArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsA sketch of Googie's from inside the offices of Armet Davis NewloveArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsA sketch of Googie's from inside the offices of Armet Davis NewloveArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsA sketch of Googie's from inside the offices of Armet Davis NewloveArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsA sketch of Googie's from inside the offices of Armet Davis NewloveArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholson Lincoln at OlympicArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholson Lincoln at OlympicArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholsthe Armét and Davis–designed Penguin Cafe will have a restored penguin sign.Architects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsAbove the horrible acoustic ceiling are the original steel beams.Architects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsThe Penguin Coffee Shop was a dentist's office for 25 years. Mel's Drive-In owner Steven Weiss is working with Armé Davis Newlove and the original plans to restore original finishingsArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsThe Penguin Coffee Shop was a dentist's office for 25 years. Mel's Drive-In owner Steven Weiss is working with Armé Davis Newlove and the original plans to restore original finishingsArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholscraft beers on tapArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholscraft beers on tapArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholscraft beers on tapArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsPann's on La Tijera was designed by architects Eldon Davis and Helen Liu Fong of the Armét & Davis architectural firm.Architects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsPann's is open only for Breakfast and lunchArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholsso make sure to go early. (Sunday has an amazing Champagne brunch!)Architects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsLovingly restored in 1993Architects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsLovingly restored in 1993Architects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholsthat's because those diner scenes were shot in another Armét and Davis–designed coffee shopArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nicholssince demolished.)Architects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsPann's menuArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsPann's has stayed in the same family since the day it opened.Architects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsNext year is Pann's 60th anniversary.Architects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsThe exterior of iconic Googie coffee shop Pann'sArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsChris NicholsArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsThe crowd of enthusiastic Googie World Expo attendeesArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsHelen Liu Fong was the designer at Armét and Davis who is credited with designing Crenshaw's Holiday Bowl. The iconic bowling alley and cafe was torn down a few years agoArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsHelen Liu Fong was the designer at Armét and Davis who is credited with designing Crenshaw's Holiday Bowl. The iconic bowling alley and cafe was torn down a few years agoArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsHelen Liu Fong was the designer at Armét and Davis who is credited with designing Crenshaw's Holiday Bowl. The iconic bowling alley and cafe was torn down a few years agoArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris NicholsHelen Liu Fong was the designer at Armét and Davis who is credited with designing Crenshaw's Holiday Bowl. The iconic bowling alley and cafe was torn down a few years agoArchitects Victor Newlove, left, and John Dodson of Armét Davis Newlove with Pann's owner Jim Poulos and L.A. historian and author Chris Nichols

L.A. historian and all-around cool guy Chris Nichols filled two buses to the brim with architecture lovers on Sunday, April 22, and let them loose on an array of Armét & Davis' best Southern California work as part of the Googie World Expo.

“Googie” describes something amazing: a form of space-age architecture (think Norm's or Ships) that was named after a coffee shop. The original coffee shop was called Googie's, and in 1952 House and Home editor Douglas Haskell coined the term “Googie architecture” after visiting that famed West Hollywood coffee shop.

In this photo essay you will see the inside of the famous Penguin Cafe (which is in the process of being reborn as a Mel's Drive-In), Pann's and the offices of Armét Davis Newlove, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary.