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October 16, 2007
Pinkberry to wipe out more of Pink's competition
For 36 years, The Wiener Factory has been serving hot dogs out of their Sherman Oaks stand to loyal and new customers alike. Good for hot dog lovers, bad for residents craving Pinkberry:
Officials with Pinkberry, a nonfat frozen-yogurt chain, were expected to tell a Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council panel Monday night that they wanted to raze the small hot-dog restaurant and build another Pinkberry store."Historically, many things come and go. But we have good intentions, so we would like to build a beautiful Pinkberry that could be another landmark for the Valley," said Young Lee, president and founder of Pinkberry.
It would be the fourth Pinkberry to open on Ventura Boulevard after stores in Studio City, Tarzana and one in Encino expected to open in 2009.
Lentz [of The Wiener Factory] is on month-to-month rent at the site, which is owned by the Stanman Family Trust. Perry Hirsch, lawyer for the trust, did not return repeated calls Monday. A spokesman for the trust declined to comment at Monday's meeting. [Daily News]
A Valley landmark? Probably not. Parking nightmare? It's a concern. More business for The Stand in Encino, especially during one-dollar hot dog Monday nights? Yes. Better than Pinkberry-like competitor, Limelight, already on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks? The people will decide.
Previously on LAist
- Pinkberry + Starbucks + $27.5 Million = Kiss of Death
- Will Pinkberry Pummel Studio Yogurt?
- Pinkberry, Schminkberry
- Is Pinkberry Fakeberry?
Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
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Pinkberry a "valley landmark"? I don't think so! That overrated, way too trendy fro-yo chain is not welcome in my neighborhood (at least not by me). I'm always willing risk my life walking across Ventura for a tasty treat at the Wiener Factory. To raze a Sherman Oaks (if not Valley) icon for the Wal-Mart of trendy frozen yogurt would be a crime, and certainly not worth crossing Ventura Blvd for a cup. If this were to take place, I would probably just get my "trendy fro-yo fix" across the street at Limelite.
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YOGURT LAND > Pinkberry
www.yogurt-land.com
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God help us all if the wiener factory gets the boot.
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Death to pinkberry if they take out the Weiner Factory.
I mean how often do you have a spicy polish that is murderously so?
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Nothing is sacred! I LOVE Weiner factory!!!
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death to Pinkberry regardless. dippin dots, gelaterias and stone creamery joints are taking over. Short the telecoms and go long on frozen delectables. I mean... remember TCBY?!?
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Pinkberry is burning far too hot too quick to last. The current fro-yo fad will die out just like the one 20 years ago and leave only a few tried and true spots remaining (can anyone say Humphrey Yogart?). Sure, it'll bring in more revenue than Weiner Factory to start, but the Factory has stayed in business for three decades. There's absolutely no reason to believe a Pinkberry would have that kind of staying power. And since when does a chain store of any kind become a landmark (not counting the original location like the Tommy's downtown)? Are all the old, distinctively-shaped Taco Bell locations that are now Mexican or Thai restaurants "landmarks"? That statement boggles the mind.
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I can't wait until eating delectable, calorie-rich foodstuffs becomes the next trend.
Like hot dogs, or fatty chocolate ice cream sprinkled with toasted nuts.
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I think fro-yo is a fad too but with most fads one or two brands survive. Last time yogurt made a splash was in the mid 80's. Today Penguins is still in business, remember them? Pinkberry may survive and become a global brand under Starfucks tutelage as scary as that sounds.
As far as being sold as healthy, Coke was originally sold as a health tonic....
"Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft drink market throughout the 20th century. Although faced with criticisms of its health effects and various allegations of wrongdoing by the company, Coca-Cola has remained a popular soft drink to the present day."
I think we should tear down the Capital Records building, Pan Pacific park and the Hollywood sign because they are old landmarks that need to make room for Stinkberrys. I can see driving up the 101 and seeing a big PINKBERRY LAND sign on the hill!
Who's next? Will they take over PINK'S and make it their flagship store?
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This is so fucked.
This Sanrio Ice Cream shit has got to stop before it kills everything authentic about this city.
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We'll see how this develops over time. Will the public comes out to speak on this or not? Does it matter to the landlords of the property? That's up to them and that's their right to assert.
From a purely vegetarian point of view, the one thing that disappoints me about places like the Wiener Factory and The Stand is that they do not serve up veggie dogs while places like Skooby's and Pinks do (even the Chicago Hot Dog place on Woodman in Sherman Oaks serves veggie dogs). That said, I have never eaten at The Wiener Factory. But now that I know they have knishes, I'll have to try and I hope they are better than the tasteless ones at The Stand.
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OK I just wrote a long comment expressing my disdain for Pinkberry and love for Weiner Factory but when I clicked post the site claimed I wasn't logged in and I lost the message. So to recap: Pinkberry is awful, Weiner Factory has the best dogs in the city (they have different butchers who make each type of dog and brat according to the secret special recipes), The Sherman Oaks home owners association should not let this happen because Weiner Factory is a landmark (if Dutton's can be why not WF? I bet Dutton's doesn't have an original Mad Magazine drawing and autograph on the wall...)and if Blvd in this area I will be forced to start hitting them with my car in an effort to solve the problem myself. And, finally, someone needs to take Pinkberry, shove it in an envelop and mail it back to 1986 when I gave a shit about fro-yo.
P.S. WF's knishes are much better than the inedible ones at The Stand but they are still not real NYC knishes (aka they are round instead of the proper hand held square).
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that should read "and if the jackasses who are willing to stand in line for $8 tasteless yogurt fuck up the traffic on Ventura Blvd in this area I will be forced to start hitting them with my car..."
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Amen polaroidgirl, Amen!
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THIS MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH
people can go to a few blocks down the street in either direction if they want frozen yogurt or pinkberry. A good hotdog is a precious thing.
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Here's what we all should do if Pinkberry comes in, in fact we should start a campaign:
Several times a week, go in and spend 20 minutes or so at the counter "trying to figure out what you want." Ask for samples (do they do that?) ask what the ingredients are, all that kind of crap. After you've pissed off as many people as possible and wasted as much time as you can say, "Nah, I really want a hotdog." Then leave.
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By now I'm sure everyone knows that this deal is done and Weiner Factory will indeed be displaced by the evil empire of Pinkberry. The fine folks at WF told me they will be operating in their current location through December 31 of this year (maybe they should host New Years Eve?). The good news is that they will be moving to a new location TBD and they have a contact list so you'll be notified by email once they've found a new home.