Just the other day, a few members of the HPS staff took one of their health-inducing
walks around the peaceful streets of somewhat famous Downey, California and took
a lot of photos. As you all know, Downey is known as the place where world famous
and very talented recording duo The Carpenters lived and grew up and did things.

Also, world famous roots-rock band The Blasters lived and grew up and did things
in Downey...and Downey is also one of the birthplaces of surf music...The Chantays
surf classic "Pipeline" was recorded at Wenzel's Music Town on Lakewood Blvd
in Downey (which closed three ago and is now a lawn mower shop and restaurant)

And also, Downey is the proud home of the world's oldest McDonalds and
also is the home of a nice miniature golf course called Golf 'n' Stuff where
people of all ages come to play miniature golf and great video games.

Downey also has several public libraries and many used car lots.


Here are the photos we took while walking around delightful Downey!

(simply ignore the witty commentary if you need to...)

the Spruce Tree apartments - Clark Avenue near Lakewood Blvd (a classic Downey apartment complex!)

closer view of the impressive, sculpted arch-like decorative bush situated between the two entrance gates!

building - Clark Avenue and Lakewood Blvd (Mom always told us...an active forklift is a happy forklift!)

Downey Studios building - Lakewood Blvd (formerly Rockwell Aerospace where they made Hula Hoops!)

tombstone-like sign - Downey Landing mall - Lakewood Blvd (Downey has lots of lovely signs like this!)

typical "old school" family home - Lakewood Blvd (check out the lengthy walkways and telephone pole!)

STATS Stationery Store - fading painted sign and graffiti - Lakewood Blvd

STATS Stationery Store - Lakewood Blvd (abandoned)

STATS Stationery Store - Lakewood Blvd (abandoned)

Aloha Gardens apartments - Lakewood Blvd (someone will likely buy this lettering soon and sell it on eBay!)

fence, phone lines and buildings - Lakewood Blvd (a perfect pastel composition!)

fence, telephone pole, trees and buildings - Lakewood Blvd

Downey Square shopping center sign - Lakewood Blvd (this sign will probably be gone soon!)

building - Florence Blvd

sign - Florence Blvd (you couldn't miss this sign, even if you were in outer space!)

building - Florence Blvd (repetitive box-like patterns on buildings are nice!)

building - Florence Blvd (we figure this was a florist in the distant past!)

church - Florence Blvd (another pointy architectural wonder!)

sign and light fixture - Florence Blvd

Rives Square sign - Florence Blvd (this imposing sign looks like it wants to eat people!)

Rives Square sign - Florence Blvd (nothing like heavy wood lettering on chunky rockwork!)

Del Rio Lanes sign - Florence Blvd

Del Rio Lanes sign - Florence Blvd (it must be fun to watch sodas and hot dogs bowl!)

church - Old River School Road (more exquisite pointy architecture...and standard Downey rockwork!)

liquor Store - Old River School Road (abandoned, but still pleasant to admire from across the street!)

Jesse's Radiators and Mufflers - Firestone Blvd (skateboarders would surely like to launch from the roof!)

Jesse's Radiators and Mufflers - Firestone Blvd (nice auto shops such as these are all over Downey!)

Johnnie's Broiler sign - Firestone Blvd (a fight scene in that Tina Turner movie was filmed in Johnnie's!)

Galaxy Home Design - Firestone Blvd (sorry, but we wouldn't want our home designed by these crazy guys!)

Deluxe Motel - Firestone Blvd (uh, oh...more Downey rockwork and what look like dead trees...uh, oh!)

unknown camera shop - Firestone Blvd (big, blank exterior walls like these are always nice to behold!)

Steve's Lock Service - Firestone Blvd (can't get away from that classic, standard Downey rockwork...yow!)

building - Firestone Blvd (this probably used to be a bank or a Hostess Baked Goods discount outlet!)

building - Firestone Blvd (another pleasing pastel composition...boarded-up windows are always a nice touch!)

Verizon building - Firestone Blvd (probably the flattest and our most favorite building ever...no doubt!)

Verizon building - Firestone Blvd (if this building were any flatter and non-descript it would simply not exist!)

abandoned building - Firestone Blvd (formerly Licorice Pizza record store where they sold records!)

rest home - Firestone Blvd (somebody needs to call the management about the lack of landscaping...eek!)

sign - Lakewood Blvd and Imperial (it's rare to find a sign like this that hasn't been bashed to bits by an SUV




Delightful Downey photographs taken by BENBENEK
copyright © 2005-2006 Houseplant Picture Studio Ltd