Denny's windmill spins again. The windmill atop Denny's at northeast corner of Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive was designed by Harold Bissner as the template for Van de Kamp's Holland Dutch Bakery's coffee shop franchise. It opened in 1967 in Arcadia, the first of 15 built from his designs. Denny's bought the location in 1989. Denny's spent $100,000 refurbishing the windmill.
Historic windmill turns again after long hiatus. George Fasching's original idea spawns huge community pride. The Denny's windmill was dedicated on June 29 after a refurbishment.
Arcadia Denny's at northeast corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue to restore collapsed windmill. The building's original occupant was Van de Kamp's Holland Dutch Bakery. The windmill had been previously restored and reactivated on June 29, 2016. About $100,000 was spent refurbishing it at that time.
Landmarks are slowly disappearing along Route 66. Preservationists have kept some relics such as the historic windmill atop Denny's restaurant which dates back to its days as a Van de Kamp's coffee shop from the wrecking ball.
Iconic Arcadia windmill atop Denny's to be dedicated June 29, thanks to restoration efforts of former Arcadia mayor George Fasching and Joe Sargis. The windmill's new variable speed motor will run about 6 rotations per minute and it will be illuminated at night. Denny's is at northeast corner of Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive. The location used to be Van de Kamp's Holland Dutch Bakery and this windmill was its trademark. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 13, June 23, 2016.
Denny’s colorful windmill lights up Arcadia’s holiday spirits. The blades have been carefully fabricated and the official “turn-on” took place Friday, November 30. It now runs counterclockwise, 24-hours a day with LED lights. The restaurant used to be Van De Kamp’s.
A history of the Van de Kamp's windmill atop the Denny's Restaurant currently at the northeast corner of Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive. The Arcadia windmill was built nearly 40 years ago as part of an architectural movement called programmatic architecture, or roadside vernacular, wherein the buildings reflected their tenants. See hard copy in VF "Buildings."
The windmill will stay as part of the redesign of Denny's at the corner of Santa Anita Avenue and Huntington Drive. The windmill was originally built for a Van de Kamp's coffee shop in 1967.
Iconic Arcadia windmill will turn, turn, turn. Former Arcadia Mayor George Fasching spearheaded the effort to get Denny's windmill running again. Restoration work will begin soon, with June as the target for the windmill to run again. The windmill was the trademark for Van de Kamp's Holland Dutch Bakery, which was at this site, at the corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue, in 1967.
Arcadia’s iconic windmill restoration almost complete. Mid-November slated as tentative schedule for installation. The former Van De Kamp windmill atop what is now Denny’s, was restored once, but broke in a freak accident. The current restoration is being done by Joe Sargis and his company Creative Fabrication and Design on St. Joseph Street in Arcadia.
Iconic Denny's windmill in Arcadia makes a grand slam through the roof. George Fasching says plans to rebuild are already underway. On Friday, December 29, 2017, the iconic landmark fell off and one blade sliced through the restaurant around 7:30 AM. The restaurant and windmill were originally built in 1967 as a Van de Kamp's Restaurant.
George Fasching leads campaign to get Denny's to fire up historic Van de Kamp's Dutch windmill. According to Los Angeles Conservancy, the coffee shop was completed in 1967 and designed by Pasadena architects Harold Bissner and Harold Zook.
Denny's CEO considers firing up the old windmill in 2016. It is atop the Denny's Restaurant at the corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue. It used to be the Van de Kamp's Holland Dutch Bakery, founded in 1915, a Los Angeles institution for much of the 20th century. According to Los Angeles Conservancy, the building was completed in 1967 and designed by Pasadena architects Harold Bissner and Harold Zook. Denny's Corporation CEO Stephen Dunn is happy to explore the possibility of activating the windmill.
Portrait view of windmill at Denny's Restaurant at 7 East Huntington Drive. This is the northeast corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue (formerly Van de Kamp's). Photograph by Terry Miller.
Landscape view of windmill at Denny's Restaurant at 7 East Huntington Drive. This is the northeast corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue (formerly Van de Kamp's). Photograph by Terry Miller.