Present Day Cooper's & Skid Row |
Los Angeles’ Skid Row is now much different, but still much the same. It is no longer the lively, albeit grimy, entertainment hub it once was with business establishments and shops on an endless stretch. It is now home to a large homeless population, but the face of Skid Row is changing. With an incoming flood of travelers, artists, and hipsters, the area is slowly becoming trendy. It seems as if the new and the old, the past and the present will continue to collide. Although Cooper’s Donuts is no longer apart of Skid Row’s Main Street, as many of its fellow shops and businesses, its history, whether known or unknown, still remains.
In 2008, Cooper’s Donuts became the Daily Grind, then in 2013 it became Mrs. Chapman’s Angel Food Donuts. In 2014, it was announced that Dunkin' Donuts had purchased the property. Dunkin' planned to demolish the building and was not interested in keeping the donut. The company felt that the sign did not fit with their corporate image which is focusing more on beverages and sandwiches these days. When residents expressed their dismay over the removal of the donut sign, plans were made to donate it to the City of Long Beach. |