The Rock Store

The Rock Store is a restaurant in Cornell, on Mulholland Highway in the Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles, California. It is popular with motorcyclists and celebrities.

The Rock Store
Restaurant information
Street address30354 Mulholland Highway
CityCornell
StateCalifornia
Postal/ZIP Code91301
CountryUnited States
Coordinates34.109585°N 118.788173°W / 34.109585; -118.788173
WebsiteOfficial website

History

It is a, "humble but infamous hangout is like a church for wayward souls Whose paths to Heaven are found with throttle in hand," in the words of Zapata Espinoza writing for Mountain Bike magazine, "The gathering of the tribe at the Rock Store is unlike any other. There are... over-revving canyon racers in their full-leather regalia, celebrities riding [expensive bikes], vintage old-timers on ratty Indians, bourgeois bikers with their chaps and Nike Air-Stupids, dual-sport riders in their MX gear, freaks on V-8 powered trikes—there's even a group of two-wheeled Freemasons. It's a wonderful collection of humanity and two wheels where diversity isn't just tolerated, it's celebrated."[1]

The location originally held a hot springs resort.[2] During the Great Depression and Prohibition, the owner was allegedly a bootlegger.[2] The resort attracted celebrities such as Cecil B. DeMille and Rudolph Valentino, who "came up here and laid in the hot water baths, and they drank the whiskey".[2] In the 1940s and 1950s, it was home to a gas station. The Rock Store opened in 1961 as a grocery store, later becoming a common motorcycle pit stop.[2][3][4][5]

It attracted motorcyclists and celebrities, including Tom Arnold, Robert Blake, James Cameron, Harrison Ford, John Goodman, Hulk Hogan, Billy Idol, Jesse James, k.d. lang, Matt LeBlanc, Jay Leno, Steve McQueen, Nick Nolte, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Travolta, Barry Van Dyke, and Eddie Van Halen.[2][6][7][8][9][10][11] The Wall Street Journal has called it, "a celebrity hangout where Hollywood's motorcycle riders like to congregate",[12] and the Los Angeles Times referred to it as "one of best-known biker pit stops in the world" and the "Mecca[13] of motorcycles".[11]

It is located at 30354 Mulholland Highway, Cornell, California. Ed and Veronica "Vern" Savko have run The Rock Store since they purchased it in 1963.[8][9][11] Ed Savko died in April 2012.

Police presence

The California Highway Patrol have paid special attention to the area. In 1986, 240 customers were cited in a single day.[14] In 1989, the CHP established a roadblock to crack down on illegal motorcycle racing near The Rock Store. This two-mile closure led to an 85% drop in business.[11][15]

References
  1. Espinoza, Zapata (May 2000), "Us+Them=Us", Mountain Bike, p. 16
  2. Natt, Steve (April 2002). "Great Destinations: The Rock Store". Motorcycle Consumer News. BowTie Press.
  3. The Rock Store (official site), 2010, retrieved 31 August 2010
  4. Berk, Joe (March–April 2006), "Destinations: The Rock Store, Malibu, California", Motorcycle Classics, Ogden Publications, retrieved 31 August 2010
  5. Milich, Ed (July 2010), "In praise of the Sunday morning ride", Motorcyclist, Primedia, p. 108
  6. "The Rock Store: where Hollywood and Harleywood meet". Motorcyclist. Primedia. June 2002.
  7. Duke, Kevin (1 September 2004). "Rock Store Star studded Hangout". MotorcycleUSA. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  8. "L.A.'s biking celebs bring a roaring trade to Ed and Vern's". People Weekly. 15 May 1989.
  9. "L.A.'s biking celebs bring a roaring trade to Ed and Vern's". People Weekly. 15 May 1989. p. 89.
  10. "Cast as a Killer: TV detective Robert Blake faces charges that he murdered his wife, con artist Bonny Bakley, to escape a marriage he loathed". People Weekly. 6 May 2002.
  11. Cheevers, Jack (16 October 1989). "Biker Crackdown Puts Cafe in Slow Gear". Los Angeles Times. p. 3.
  12. White, Joseph (12 May 2010). "Car Companies' Scenic Drives". Wall Street Journal.
  13. Wharton, David (26 June 1992). "SUMMERTIME Discoveries If you've exhausted the usual tourist spots, here are some destinations off the beaten path. Easy Riders Descend on Area's Motorcycle Mecca". Los Angeles Times. p. 25.
  14. Braun, Stephen (20 January 1986). "Easy Rider Ritual Sundays at the Rock Store Are Strictly for Bikers and Their Glittering Machines". Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
  15. Curtiss, Aaron (25 June 1990). "Mulholland Is Open Road Again". Los Angeles Times.

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