Fishermen Labs moved to El Segundo from Playa Vista a few months back and we’ve been warmly welcomed by our neighbors and local businesses.
Fishermen Labs moved to El Segundo from Playa Vista a few months back and we’ve been warmly welcomed by our neighbors and local businesses. Mention El Segundo to other Californians and they may mention Dockweiler Beach, LAX, or the large presence of defense giants like Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and Boeing (the top 3 employers in 2011). However, nestled between all of that in the shadow of the Chevron refinery is Smoky Hollow, Fishermen Labs’ new neighborhood.
According to The Patch:
“The city plans to allure start-up technology and creative companies to this clandestine area by tailoring the parking demand required by a creative office conversion. The creative office space that is in great demand in the Silicon Beach Cities of Venice and Santa Monica is being depleted. Consequently, start-up technology companies are moving south to other beach cities in Los Angeles. As a result, El Segundo is working hard to make Smokey Hollow the next incubator zone for start-up technology and creative firms.”
And they’re succeeding by alluring the likes of architectural and advertising firms. Smoky Hollow District is now rapidly converting industrial warehouses into creative offices and making efforts towards better internet connections. The LA Times writes, “The neighborhood was home for decades to manufacturers and vendors serving neighboring aerospace firms, but the defense industry shrank after the end of the Cold War. By the mid-2000s, Smoky Hollow was beginning to attract more creative businesses, a trend the city hopes to advance.”
In the article, the chairman of the Urban Land Institute committee said, “The market has gotten sophisticated. You can’t just take an old industrial building and convert it. Brokers are having to sell a story along with the building. Tech tenants have to have that funky, tangible aesthetic, and Smoky Hollow has a lot of it.”
Coincidentally, there is a story that is 7 seasons long. Listed in the IMDB trivia, the El Segundo Parks and Recreation staff are the basis for the hit NBC program “Parks and Recreation”.
Now you know the history, but more importantly what about the food? Here are a few of our favorite local spots:
- Brewport Tap House: walls of self-serve taps at the flick of your RFID wrist.
- Two Guns Espresso: a taste New Zealand life and artisanal coffee with avo toast.
- Sausal: not only is the food soul satisfying, but the staff and ambiance is refreshing.
- The Point: they say retail is dead, but outdoor malls are a thriving community.
Do you have love for El Segundo? Do you have love for your hometown? Reach out to us on social @fishermenlabs and give us the scoop!
