Visit Route 66 & Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, CA

PART 3 - HILL AVE. to Lake Ave.

You’ll notice a small concrete marker resembling a tombstone on the sidewalk in front of the McDonald’s at Holliston Ave. This hidden in plain sight historic gem is the Foothill Boulevard Milestone (Mile 11), listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s one of the mile markers from Alfred Bancroft’s Ten-Block System, established in 1902, with one placed every mile along Foothill Boulevard. The distance was measured from the old courthouse in downtown Los Angeles to the San Gabriel foothills. This particular marker, installed in 1906 when the road was still dirt, way before the creation of Route 66.

The home of the Giddings Family was located at 1318 E. Colorado Street were the McDonald’s stands today. Joshua Reed Giddings of Iowa moved to Pasadena in 1874 as one of the original "old settlers." I founds these two historic photos on a forum that credited the Pasadena Museum of History but I wasn’t able to find out the year. In one of the photos, you can see the “Giddings Residence” sign to the left. What a drastic difference from the scene we see today!

If you pull into the McDonald’s lot, you can see a ghost sign that says “Foothill Motors.” You used to be able to see “Lincoln Mercury” on the adjacent wall to the right but that’s been painted over. The McDonalds lot was Foothill's used car lot for many years. I noticed that there’s surprisingly very few ghost signs along this stretch of historic road. I wanted to document this before it disappeared as well.

The popular LA restaurant chain Zankou Chicken has a location on this block as well. It’s worth a visit to try their roast chicken and signature garlic sauce. The restaurant was voted Best Chicken by Downtown LA News readers and Best Fast Food in California by Food and Wine magazine. Zankou Chicken has been featured in multiple TV shows and even referenced in a song by Beck. However, the chain's history is also marked by a tragic family drama involving a double murder and suicide. You can learn more about this interesting story in the video below:

The building next door to Zankou at 1292 Colorado Blvd. used to have a public art mural on it’s West facing wall. The mural was titled “Communication Not Separation” by Victor Steinbacher painted in 1993. It seems that the building was recently painted over with a boring coat of gray paint and the mural is no longer there. It was one of the few public art murals along Colorado Blvd and conveyed a positive message that feels especially relevant in today's polarized climate. It’s surprising how little public art exists on such a world-famous street like Colorado Blvd. In fact, I could only find three visible murals in Pasadena along the entire historic stretch of Route 66. I really hope more public art is planned for this area, especially with the 2026 celebrations approaching!

Across the street on the north side, you'll notice an ornate building known as the Howard Motor Company Building, a historic automobile showroom. Built in 1927, it features the California Churrigueresque style of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. In the years leading up to World War II, the country entered the age of the automobile, and this decorative style became popular in California's growing car market, where dealers competed for attention and sales. Going even further back, Colorado Blvd was one of the largest and earliest "Auto Rows" in Southern California lined with dealerships. At one point in 1915, Pasadena had the world's highest rate of automobile ownership. As you have probably noticed, you can still find many operating auto dealerships along the route today.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to Box City and never thought twice to check out Andy’s Coffee Shop next door. As you enter through the unassuming facade, it transports you into a classic Route 66 era diner that’s been in business for over 80 years! This restaurant has made plenty of Hollywood cameo appearances. It’s been a past filming location for Mad Men, Fast and Furious 4 as well as Anna Kendrick’s “Cups” Music Video as seen below:

At the Southwest corner of Michigan Ave. you’ll see The Pasadena Coin Company with it’s faded hand painted signage. I got buzzed in and briefly chatted with the shop owner. He mentioned that while their sign says “Stamps and Coins” the collectible stamps are pretty much a dead market these days and no longer as valuable as they used to be. The store seem to be filled with all kinds of oddities and antiques but they didn’t allow photographs inside. It seems that this business caters to a pretty niche customer base. Check out their historic tile entrance from when the building used to be Crown City Bank.

The Michaels across the street has a designated historic sign even though the building itself is not historic. The sign was built in 1950 for Parker's Office Supply. I wasn’t able to find any original photos of the previous sign but it looks like Michaels fabricated their letters to fit with the existing layout. In 2024, a mixed-use project has been proposed to raze and construct a new six-story building offering spaces for residential and retail uses at this location. Renderings show the historic sign repurposed to say “COLORADO.”

A few blocks west, you’ll find the historic Pashgian Brothers Fine Oriental Rugs, established in 1899 by brothers Movses and John. Recognized as one of Pasadena’s first two legacy businesses, it was also the city’s first Armenian-owned business. It's amazing how long the shop has been in operation. The building features a neon 'RUGS' sign and a large, hand-painted billboard on the roof. There’s currently some graffiti on it and this particular vintage sign is certainly worthy of a restoration project!

While my focus is mainly on the history that’s still visible today, I ran across this historic eye-catching sign for ‘The Circle Cafe’ that used to be on the Northeast corner of Mentor. I couldn’t help but include this 1946 photo shot by J. Allen Hawkins. Today, it’s just a not-so-exciting H&R Block storefront.

Just a bit further north on the block, you’ll get a glimpse of The Ice House. The Ice House Pasadena is the longest-running comedy club in the U.S., operating for an impressive 61 years and counting! As the oldest comedy club in the country, it became the go-to spot for up-and-coming comedians to test their material. Over the years, legendary performers such as Bob Newhart, George Carlin, Robin Williams, David Letterman, Jim Carrey, Jay Leno, Dennis Miller, Howie Mandel, Jerry Seinfeld, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Ellen DeGeneres, and Rosie O'Donnell—among many others—have graced its stage. I was honored to have the chance to work on some new murals as part of their recent renovations.

Another recent renovation is on the south side of Mentor, where the Pasadena Hotel and Pool is also celebrating its centennial in 2026. Originally built in 1926 as Hotel Constance by local businesswoman Constance G.L. Perry, it’s now a pet-friendly hotel with a renovated lobby that pays tribute to the Roaring Twenties, complete with an elegant bar. Next door, BBAD (Breakfast Burritos All Day) offers tasty burritos, and many customers enjoy their meal in the hotel’s family friendly courtyard. The exterior side entrance of the hotel was also a filming location for the Woody Allen film Café Society (2016.) If you’re a local and want to feel like you’re on vacation, you can always get a day pass from ResortPass to use their pool and amenities (no, I’m not sponsored.)

Finally, just before Lake Ave., you'll find another historic building celebrating its 100th anniversary. Known as the "New Home of Liebergs," this three-story structure was built in 1926 at 911 East Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California, to house the Liebergs dry goods store. Designed by Pasadena architect Wendall W. Warren, the building also served as the home of the Pasadena Star-News for a time before they relocated just next door.

PART 1 >> Rosemead Blvd. to Sierra Madre Blvd.

PART 2 >> Sierra Madre Blvd. to HILL Ave.

PART 4 << LAKE AVE. to Arroyo Pkwy.