Not so long ago in Pasadena (Riverside, El Monte: motels, theatres, subdivision)

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Based on what I’ve seen on Google Maps, this scene is practically unrecognizable today. Who remembers when downtown looked like this?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ijrtPb6oVgU

[Patrolman]

Thanks for posting this. I found myself in the video, as I was there that day. I even saved the newspaper clipping from the L.A. Times. I'm old enough to remember when steam locomotives were the primary power on the AT&SF Pasadena subdivision.

[Finper]

What year is this?

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Originally Posted by finper

what year is this?

1992.

[Bunjee]

Originally Posted by Lakers Fan11

Wow! Pasadena looks like the sleepy Inland Empire town that it used to be.

Pasadena's not quite I.E. but Riverside is about in its first decade of the same transformation. Its downtown has the same bones.

I remember going to Perkins Palace for shows in the '80s. People don't believe me when I tell them Pasadena was a pit back then. I mean, I dug it but it wasn't the high end place it is now. And related, Trader Joe's was the cheap go-to, not for the dandy. Anyone remember that?

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Here’s some even more unrecognizable locations.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mav_TwId8wI&t=1s


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x0Z00vDlxAM


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4HgrHwt8vE&t=324s

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by Bunjee

People don't believe me when I tell them Pasadena was a pit back then. I mean, I dug it but it wasn't the high end place it is now. And related, Trader Joe's was the cheap go-to, not for the dandy. Anyone remember that?

Yes, and there were pawn shops and deserted buildings up and down Colorado Blvd. However, Lake Avenue was never a pit. Not sure what area of Pasadena you're referring to.

[MuscleCar]

My BFF grew up in Pasadena in the 80's and said it was an awful pit, red light district until Paseo started turning things around.

[CA4Now]

Originally Posted by MuscleCar

My BFF grew up in Pasadena in the 80's and said it was an awful pit, red light district until Paseo started turning things around.

You have got to be kidding about a "red light district." Pasadena is a BIG city. There are run down parts of nearly every city in greater L.A., but your BFF is full of it. We lived in Pasadena in the 80s, and I grew up right next to Pasadena before that.

[JohnG72]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

You have got to be kidding about a "red light district." Pasadena is a BIG city. There are run down parts of nearly every city in greater L.A., but your BFF is full of it. We lived in Pasadena in the 80s, and I grew up right next to Pasadena before that.

I used to go to PAC Man Arcade on Colorado near Allen I think during my late teens in the very early 90’s. It was open really late..like maybe as late as 3am...can’t remember for sure. There were streetwalker prostitutes at that time on Colorado Bl. Mostly crackheads, but sometimes there would be up to 6-8 slutty dressed high heeled ones hanging out in front of one or more of the motels.

And at the time, northwest Pasadena was a gang haven and actively dangerous.

I’m not sure anymore, but SGV used to be lots more lively late at night. Between the pac man arcade, rocky horror picture show in S. Pas, movie theatres that had movies starting as late as 1230am, and an abundance of 24 hour old style coffee shops, my friends and I found lots to do late at night before we were even 21 for not a lot of money. After 21 we were able to go to several pool halls that were open very late or even 24 hours in Pasadena, Alhambra, Rosemead, El Monte, West Covina, Baldwin park, El Monte, and Whittier, and also discovered some of the late night asian food places.

It was a real letdown when I moved to SFV at 27 and discovered there was very little to do late at night. I’m not sure that same scene exists even in SGV anymore.