LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA – You wouldn’t think that the closure of a fast food restaurant would mark the end of a culinary era. But in Lafayette, California, people are mourning the closure of something a bit surprising: a Taco Bell.
As we reported previously, the Taco Bell in downtown Lafayette is surprisingly distinctive for a few reasons. For one thing, it had been around for a long time. Reports indicate the original Taco Bell opened as early as 1968.
For many locals, it was a popular after-school stop in the 1970s. Rumor has it that seniors would steal the metal bell from the restaurant as part of their yearly senior prank. Eventually, the restaurant seems to have gotten tired of replacing the bell and removed it.
The former Taco Bell also stands out because it was architecturally significant. The southwestern-style adobe design of this particular restaurant is apparently one of only a few in that style of store remaining in California…