June 24, 2005

Help a monkey out Yes, this is a self link. I don't know if you all remember the posts that I did about this place in the past, but I am part of an ad-hock commitee to save, Irv's, a local hamburger stand here in West Hollywood.

We've applied for historic landmark status with the City of West Hollywood and are going to have a big meeting regarding Irv's historic status this coming Monday night. If you are feeling up to it, an email or two to the various city hall members might just help make the City of West Hollywood take us seriously. We've have even had a monkeyfilter meetup there, so you know it's historic, right? I appreciate your time and thank you ahead of time.

  • Fuck... The links are http://www.weho.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=nav&navid=16 and http://monkeyfilter.com/link.php/6103
  • Post a mailing address in this thread for non-locals, squidrach. Where do I send my letter? Is there time for a letter?
  • FYI, in the History page, the small Linda Rondstadt pic, where it says click to enlarge, does not got to the big version of the picture, but just back to the history page.
  • BTW, if you click on the "help a monkey out" link you'll get to the main page of save irv's burgers. Click on the CBS channel 2 link and about 3/4 into the video you'll see squidranch in all his glory.
  • you'll see squidranch in all his glory That makes me nervous. Jus what kind of video is that..? :) Anyways, good luck on your meeting.
  • Click on the CBS channel 2 link and about 3/4 into the video you'll see squidranch in all his glory. Michael? *shakes head* maybe your are the diminuative Asian cook.
  • I love the name Burger Brigade. And the picture with the family and the plate that says "Save Irv!" Okay.
  • Will I get fries with that?
  • *sigh*
  • I'm sorry - have I exasperated someone?
  • Asshole. :-(
  • What's your problem, JJ? I'm not raining on anyone's parade, nor am I besmirching the integrity of this post. And I think from some of your past performances, you stand amongst the last able to don the hat of the self righteous. Please refrain from calling me an asshole. That's how arguments start. OK?
  • OK
  • So a paper hat's out of the question?
  • "Please refrain from calling me an asshole. That's how arguments start." That is almost EXACTLY what I told Saddam just before he fired off that e/mail to George... and look what happened. and, back on topic...squid...good luck on the effort.. I spend some time out in the L.A. area visiting my son and his wife... The small, family owned places out there are wonderful... anything that can happen to keep the world from being run over by corporate clone resturants and stores is a good thing. You have my admiration!
  • Done and done, squiddy. Glad to help in the fight. (Not being a local, I pushed the whole tourism angle. I hope that's allright.) And -- just a suggestion to the Burger Brigade people (and a gentle one knowing how much work squidranch and the other L.A. monkeys did on the MoFi T-shirts) -- might it be an idea to sell those cool Save Irv Ts over yon internets? I was disappointed to see I could only buy them locally. Seeing as how a trip to West Hollywood is not in my immediate future.
  • Will they really pay attention to emails from all over the world? I mean, it's not like we're shopping in West Hollywood.
  • Heya, Squiddy, you think could broker me a t-shirt? From what I can tell they are only available in the shop. I'd like to help, I'd like a shirt and I'd happilly pay for it and shipping and your trouble...
  • Hmm, I'm not sure I know how to mail t shirts.... Sure. If anyone wants a shirt, paypal me $18 for US orders and $23 for international. I'm pretty sure that the extra that I added for postage will cover most locations. You can send it to michaelescher@comcast.net. Be sure to include your address and desired size/sizes.
  • BTW, if you all would consider it, it would be great if you can re-post the www.saveirvs.com link to as many people and websites as possible to help publicize our cause. It would be appreciated.
  • Sorry, that's http://www.irvsburgers.com/
  • Thanks, squidranch. I didn't dare to ask you to go through all that, but I'm glad you're willing. I just sent my $23 -- let me know if there are any problems or if you didn't get it. You're the bestest monkey ever (who didn't have a User Number of 1, that is).
  • What are you, Drew fucking Carey??
  • Not Drew, and I've never fucked Carey in my life!
  • Capt. R, I only have record of dirtdirt's paypal transaction. I'd check to see if you sent it to the proper email address. michaelescher@comcast.net The shirts are pretty darn cool. Had them done at the same place we did the mofi shirts.
  • BTW, I just called and they only have large, extra large and XXL left.
  • Sweet!
  • I think I missed my calling. It seems t shirt sales was the career I was destined for.
  • You should branch out into socks. People always need good socks.
  • And underpants.
  • This is a futile attempt. Thanks to the vast left-wing conspiracy of the SCOTUS, West Hollywood will just end up confiscating Irv's and selling it to McDonalds.
  • No negative affirmations.
  • MonkeyFilter: Please refrain from calling me an asshole. That's how arguments start. Gimmee an all-beef patty with... Never mind.
  • I once ate at Irv's without realizing it's historical significance. I was helping a co-worker pick up some items from a storage unit in WeHo and we stopped there for lunch. It was October 22, 2002, and I remember it was the best damn pastrami burger I've ever had. (I can remember the date because it was the same day the Foo Fighters released One by One, and the co-worker invited me to the free concert at the Wiltern that night).
  • hey....all us l.a. monkeys are sitting around at velocity cafe wondering what we should wear to the city council meeting or whatever it is...any particular state of mind we should be in? enthusiastic? angry? gun-wielding? let us know.....
  • Well, if anyone is still actually following this thread, I wanted to let you know WE WON!!! WE WON!!! WE WON!!! WE WON!!! The city historic landmark commission agreed with us that a hamburger stand, yes a hamburger stand is worthy of saving the same as with highbrow architecture. We were totally prepared to lose, but 5 out of 7 of the commissioners agreed with us that it does have cultural significance and should be preserved. The fight is not over and we still need to get the mayor and city council approve the historic landmark commission's recommendation in a meeting scheduled in a couple of months, but this win is huge. I am convinced that there will be major media coverage of this win since we have already been covered by the LA Times, The Washington Post, CBS, FOX, ABC, KFI Radio, Sunset Magazine and Los Angeles Magazine and I will post as new stuff comes up. Thanks to all the monkeys who wrote city hall and especially thanks to LA monkeys sexyrobot and hatred who actually showed up at the meeting with handmade signs that read "I "heart" Irv's" and "Go Irv's - Yeah!"
  • Well done squiddy. Power to the people! NOW can I get fries with that?!
  • Way to go! Now post a picture of yourself in your Irv's t-shirt. NOW!!! Irv's life depends on it!!!
  • *high fives squidranch* Go hatred and sexyrobot! CONGRATULATIONS! (sorry I couldn't make it yesterday, I had a longstanding previous committment on the East side, where we sadly suffer under a lack of Irv's burgers)
  • Yes Kitfisto, you can get fries with that. Asshole ;-)
  • And a paper hat.
  • Whadya mean are we following this? And, awesome win. Whom do we email next?
  • Damn it, this was last night and I forgot.
  • I think we will wait until we get close to city council's vote on this which will be in a couple of months or so. I want to make as much with what we have as possible. When we get close, I will repost to ask you all to write so to make the deepest impact.
  • This is very good news. I wish you all luck in the upcoming vote.
  • I'll let you have that one. But only because I'm madly in love with you.
  • That's fantastic, squid and co.
  • Hey, you! Back to bed!
  • Yay! OK, if I ever get to LA, squid, you gotta take me there. Congrats!
  • The 50-member Brigade was out in full force Monday night, sporting Irv's T-shirts and holding "We Love Irv's" signs. Cool.
  • OK - I don't want to ruin the surprize, but I can't not mention it. I emailed your info over to Adam Kuban, squidranch, more notably of sliceny.com, and more relevantly of ahamburgertoday.com, which does hamburger reviews for LA, NYC and a few other places. His west-coast correspondent is "all about" doing a story - so stay tuned for that.
  • nicola, have them drop me a line at michael.escher@gmail.com and I can give them the full rundown. I've been in the fight from the beginning and can let them know the history of the stand, etc...
  • BTW, PY, those signs were being "sported" by LA monkeys. Sexyrobot and Hatred showed up showing their love for Irv's. They also went to Irv's the next day and got free burgers for their good works.
  • I figured as much given your comment about their "I ♥ Irv's" sign, etc. It's cool to read about monkeys in the news. Maybe I'll go down one day and check out the food. Nice to see that they have a veggie burger on the menu.
  • Hi everyone, I thought that I’d let you know that the West Hollywood City Council voted Monday night to give Irv’s Burgers historic landmark status. Hooray!!! A number of Irv's supporters showed up, and once the meeting was called to order, we were informed by the mayor that we were not pulled from the consent calendar for further review. We all just looked at each other, not knowing exactly what that meant. One of the city planning department employees came up and told us that the designation had passed and that, in effect, we had won. It was a bit anti-climatic, but what the hell, we won. I want to thank all you monkeys who wrote and emailed on our behalf for accomplishing this bit of absurdity. We stuck it out and we won. We all deserve a metal. Or at least a hamburger. So, now we need to celebrate. I think the plan is to throw an after hour party at Irv’s. The Hongs (the folks who own the Irv's business) will be doing Korean BBQ and there will be a keg or two of beer as well as a BYOL (bring your own liquor). As a member of the Burger Brigade I can invite as many people as I want, so... let's make this the next LA monkey meetup! Once again, thanks everyone. I'll FPP for LA monkeys when I find out the date for the party. If we can save a hamburger stand, who knows what else we can do.
  • Yeay! You did good~
  • Thanx Path. I know it is absurd to save a burger stand, but I actually feel somewhat empowered. I might just get a bit more political at the local level. Feels good.
  • Congratulations, squid!
  • Wow. Fabulous job, squidranch! It's not quite papal, but Mayor Pro Tempore Squidranch does have a nice ring to it.
  • Thanks for the honor, but I gratefully refuse. But I'd like to see you at the celebration/meetup guava/PY. Please come. You, Goofyfoot and Wendell. It would make my day.
  • Congrats, squiddy! It's no small thing that you've accomplished -- you beat City Hall...
  • woohoo!
  • Squid - you've had your practice rounds with Irv's. Want to try to save the last remaining Brown Derby? (via MetaFilter.)