The first Taco Bell in the U.S. has been saved from a very tragic fate, as the company has decided to move the heritage restaurant from its birthplace in Downey, Calif., to its headquarters in Irvine.
The restaurant will leave Downey at about 10:30 p.m. on Friday and is expected to reach its destination early Saturday morning, according to FOX News.
Brian Niccol, CEO of Taco Bell, states that the decision to save the building from being demolished was motivated by the significance of the building to Taco Bell history.
"This is arguably the most important restaurant in our company's history," he said.
The restaurant, which is fondly called Numero Uno, was opened to the public back in 1962 by founder Glen Bell. At only 400 square feet, it was a simple restaurant, basically a walk-up taco stand with live music and fire pits. It eventually ceased its operations in 1986, 24 years before the death of the company's founder, reported The Denver Post.
Upon reaching the Irvine headquarters, the building will remain in storage until Taco Bell decides on its ultimate fate.
Katie Rispoli, executive director of We Are The Next, a nonprofit heritage conservation organization, states that within the foundations of the building lie stories behind the rise of Taco Bell.
"This building isn't designed by a famous architect, and it's not particularly beautiful in the conventional sense. But it does demonstrate how even the most ordinary buildings can tell tremendous stories," she said.
Check out more news about Taco Bell here.
