The first Taco Bell restaurant ever – dubbed "Numero Uno" – is being physically moved from its current location to the company's headquarters in California to save it from demolition, but its final resting place is up in the air.
The 400-square-foot building in Downey – opened in 1962 and closed in 1986 – will be making the 45-mile move to Irvine starting on Thursday, said the
Los Angeles Times, because there are plans to development the lot it's currently sitting on.
"The building was no bigger than a two car garage," says the
Taco Bell website. "Mission-style arches framed a small walk-up window where Glen (Bell) would shell out his five staples: Tostados, Burritos, Frijoles, Chiliburgers, and of course, Tacos, all for 19 cents."
"Still new to many customers, Glen revolutionized the quick-service style that introduced Mexican-inspired food to the masses. By 1964, just two years after the first Taco Bell, eight more restaurants sprinkled the Southern California region. By 1967 that number had grown to 100."
The building will slowly roll from Downey through suburban Los Angeles communities like Norwalk, Cerritos, La Palma, Buena Park, Anaheim, Tustin and Orange before it reaches Irvine, said the Times.
"This is arguably the most important restaurant in our company's history," said Taco Bell chief executive Brian Niccol. "When we heard about the chance of it being demolished, we had to step in."
Taco Bell brought attention to the building through social media with its #SaveTaco Bell hashtag, said
Entrepreneur.com The restaurant worked with the heritage conservation nonprofit We Are The Next to develop a plan to move the building.
"This building isn't designed by a famous architect, and it's not particularly beautiful in the conventional sense," said Katie Rispoli, the executive director of We Are The Next. "But it does demonstrate how even the most ordinary buildings can tell tremendous stories."
Taco Bell says its customers will have a say in the building's final location and is asking them to share their ideas on social media.
"Maybe it becomes a new restaurant with opening day prices from 1962, or possibly an innovation kitchen for inspiring restaurateurs," suggested Taco Bell.
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