Randy's Donuts#History

{{short description|Landmark building in Inglewood, California, U.S.}}

{{Infobox building

| name = Randy's Donuts

| image = Randy's donuts1 edit1.jpg

| image_alt =

| caption = Randy's in 2005

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| map_alt =

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| altitude =

| building_type = Restaurant, doughnut shop, bakery

| architectural_style = Novelty architecture

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| address =

| location_town = Inglewood, California

| location_country = United States

| coordinates_display =

| coordinates_format =

| coordinates = {{Coord|33.9618|-118.3703|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| groundbreaking_date =

| opened_date = {{start date|1953 }}

| height =

| roof =

| other_dimensions =

| main_contractor =

| architect = Henry J. Goodwin

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| website = {{URL|http://randys-donuts.com}}

| embedded =

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}}

Randy's Donuts is a donut shop chain originated in the United States, and it is known for a colossal donut sign atop its original building located in Inglewood, California near Los Angeles International Airport, which is considered as "one of Los Angeles’ most iconic landmarks".{{cite web |title=LA Conservancy, Randy's Donuts |url=https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/randys-donuts |access-date=18 June 2022}}

The original 24-hour drive-in is at 805 West Manchester Boulevard and it intersects with La Cienega Boulevard. It is near the Manchester Boulevard off-ramp of the San Diego Freeway (I-405).

History

In the late 1940s, donut machine salesman Russell Wendell founded a chain of drive-in donut shops named Big Donut. The first location opened in 1951 in Westmont. The second location, which is now a Randy's Donuts, was opened in 1952.{{Cite web |last=Harvey |first=Steve |date=2009-08-30 |title=The numbers have fallen, but giant doughnuts are still around |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-aug-30-me-then30-story.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Nichols |first=Chris |date=2021-06-04 |title=Randy's Donuts Says It's Been Famous Since '62. History Tells a Different Story |url=https://www.lamag.com/askchris/ask-chris-randys-donuts/ |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=Los Angeles Magazine |language=en-US}}

In 1976, after shifting focus to his Pup 'N' Taco chain (bought by Taco Bell in 1984), Wendell sold the Big Donut Inglewood location to Robert Eskow who renamed the location "Randy's Donuts" after his son. In 1978, Eskow sold the shop to Ron and Larry Weintraub, who decided to retain the name for the business.

In 2015, Randy's Donuts was purchased by lawyer and entrepreneur Mark Kelegian.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-14 |title=Randy's Donuts is coming to Costa Mesa, but its iconic sign may crumble city's design standards |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-13/randys-donuts-is-coming-to-costa-mesa-but-iconic-sign-may-crumble-citys-design-standards |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} Since that time, the brand has added franchise locations in Southern California{{Cite web |date=2022-06-01 |title=LA's iconic Randy's Donuts opens first location in the San Fernando Valley |url=https://www.foxla.com/news/randys-donuts-opens-in-the-san-fernando-valley |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=FOX 11 |language=en-US}}, Las Vegas{{cite web |date=12 August 2022 |title=Randy's Donuts to roll into Las Vegas on August 16 |url=https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/randys-donuts-to-roll-into-las-vegas-on-august-16/}} and Phoenix;{{Cite web|title=Iconic Hollywood bakery opening first location in this metro Phoenix city|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/dining/2024/08/16/randys-donuts-chandler/74827529007/|website=azcentral.com|access-date=2025-05-30|date=2024-08-16|first=Bahar|last=Anooshahr|publisher=The Arizona Republic}} as well as locations outside of the United States such as South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines{{cite news|url=https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/food-drinks/los-angeles-randy-doughnuts-branch-metro-manila/|title=LA's Randy's Donuts to open first branch in Metro Manila|first=Steph|last=Arnaldo|date=February 26, 2022|accessdate=May 27, 2023|work=Rappler|location=Manila, Philippines}}, and Japan. {{Cite web |date=2021-02-27 |title=Don't be jelly: Randy's Donuts is on the rise in the hands of a Newport Beach family |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-02-26/randys-donuts-coming-to-costa-mesa-march-9-is-on-the-rise-in-hands-of-newport-beach-family |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-06-18 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2025-05-15 |title=Randy’s Donuts opens first-ever branch in Japan, brings L.A.’s donuts to Tokyo【Photos】 |url=https://soranews24.com/2025/05/15/randys-donuts-opens-first-ever-branch-in-japan-brings-l-a-s-donuts-to-tokyo%E3%80%90photos%E3%80%91/ |access-date=2025-05-15 |website=SoraNews24 -Japan News- |language=en-US}}

Randy's Donuts opened a location at Los Angeles International Airport in 2023{{cite news |last1=Harden |first1=Olivia |title=Beloved Randy’s Donuts opens LAX location |url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/beloved-randys-donuts-opens-lax-location-18307198.php |access-date=7 February 2024 |work=Travel |agency=SFGATE |date=23 August 2023}} and in the No Ho Arts District in 2024.{{cite news |title=Randy’s Donuts, known for its huge donut on the roof, opens shop in NoHo |url=https://www.dailynews.com/2024/03/27/randys-donuts-known-for-its-huge-donut-on-the-roof-opens-shop-in-noho/ |access-date=15 August 2024 |newspaper=Los Angeles Daily News |date=27 March 2024}}

Architecture

The original building was designed by Henry J. Goodwin. Bradshaw who worked as the civil engineer on the Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport is said to have designed the giant donut on the roof according to the Los Angeles Conservancy. The rooftop donut is constructed out of rolled steel bars covered with gunite. {{Citation needed span|text=It is built in a style that dates to a period in the early 20th century that saw a proliferation of Programmatic architecture throughout Southern California. This style had its heyday from the mid-1920s to the mid-1930s. By the 1950s however, the trend of designing structures in the shape of the product sold there had changed to focus on signs rather than architecture itself.|date=June 2025}} Randy's is represented by a giant donut on the roof of an otherwise ordinary a Mid-century modern drive-up food stand that is a dedicated donut bakery. It is not, however, technically a Programmatic architectural building since the building itself does not look like the item it sells. Still, the Los Angeles Conservancy looked "the other way" and designated Randy's Dunuts as a Programmatic architectural building since "the donut on its roof is just so large, so uncompromising, so demanding of our attention."

= Donut Signs =

{{Citation needed span|text=Colossal donut signs atop Randy's stores vary in size. Most locations use a 32 ft 6 in (9.91 m) diameter version that sits atop the building and faces an intersection. In Roadside Giant by Brian and Sarah Butko, the Weintraubs climbed on top of the donut at the original location with a tape measure and confirmed the measurements for the authors. The Bellflower location, however, features a smaller version of the donut on top of a pole in front of the building. This may be 23 feet (7.0 m) in diameter, as is widely reported.|date=June 2025}} When it opened a franchise shop in Shibuya, Tokyo, a donut sign about {{Convert|4|m|ft}} diameter was installed in front of the shop on the ground{{Cite web |date=2025-05-15 |title=LA発「ランディーズドーナツ」、代官山に日本1号店 300人超列 |url=https://www.shibukei.com/headline/19162/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=Shibuya Economic Newspaper |language=ja}}.

Gallery

File:Space Shuttle Endeavour at Randy's Donuts.jpg|The Randy's Donuts sign alongside Space Shuttle Endeavour as it is ferried through the streets of Los Angeles on Friday, October 12, 2012.

File:Randy's Donuts, Los Angeles.jpg|Actor and comedian Jimmie Walker with brothers Ron and Larry Weintraub, 2013

File:Randy's Donut LA seen from Air.jpg|Randy's Donuts can be seen from airplanes landing at LAX (left of the foreground bridge over the freeway at Manchester Boulevard).

File:Randy's Donuts LAX - Feb 2024 - Sarah Stierch.jpg|A miniature version of the Randy's Donuts sign at its LAX location.

In Popular Culture

In the 2010 film, Iron Man 2, Tony Stark while wearing the Iron Man armor, eats a box of Randy's donuts while sitting inside the large Randy's Donuts sign.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVGbAFy36xM |title=Iron-Man 2 (2010) - Restaurant Scene - Movie CLIP HD |date=2017-09-27 |last=TopMovieClips |access-date=2025-05-16 |via=YouTube}} It apperared in other various movies such as Mars Attacks!, {{Cite web|title=20 U.S. locations you might recognize from film|url=https://www.yardbarker.com/lifestyle/articles/20_us_locations_you_might_recognize_from_film/s1__39074873#slide_18|access-date=2025-05-16|date=2024-10-03}} Crocodile Dundee, Get Shorty, Earth Girls Are Easy, Dope, The Golden Child; as well as Showtime's Californication{{Cite web|url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2015/06/23/randys-donuts-inglewood-entourage-dope/29036985/|title=Randy's Donuts is on sweet Hollywood roll|publisher=USA Today|date=2015-06-23|accessdate=2025-05-30|first=Bryan|last=Alexander|website=usatoday.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119202115/https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2015/06/23/randys-donuts-inglewood-entourage-dope/29036985/|archive-date=2025-01-19|url-status=live}} and Futurama.{{Cite web |date=2022-01-28 |title=Randy's Donuts: The World-Famous Marketing Stunt is a Giant Sign of Yesteryear |url=https://www.latimes.com/brandpublishing/the-inglewood-renaissance/story/2022-01-28/randys-donuts-the-world-famous-marketing-stunt-is-a-giant-sign-of-yesteryear |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Schroeder|first=Eric|date=2023-07-20|title=Randy’s Donuts eyes international expansion|url=https://www.bakemag.com/articles/17764-randys-donuts-eyes-international-expansion|access-date=2025-06-06|website=www.bakemag.com|publisher=Bake Magazine}} Randy's Donuts also apears in Justin Timberlake’s music video "Can't Stop the Feeling!."{{Cite web|title=Here's Where to Find All of the L.A. Locations in Justin Timberlake's New Music Video|url=https://lamag.com/music/heres-where-to-find-all-of-the-l-a-locations-in-justin-timberlakes-new-music-video|website=Los Angeles Magazine|date=2016-05-17|access-date=2025-05-17|language=en|first=Marielle|last=Wakim}}

The building was shown in the Masked Rider episode "Ferbus Maximus" where an overgrown Ferbus takes the giant donut and tries to eat it. A small replica of the donut was made for the episode.