Helms Bakery facts for kids
Olympic Bread sign on the side of the Helms Bakery just outside Culver City, California
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| Private company | |
| Industry | Food (bakery) |
| Founded | March 2, 1931 |
| Defunct | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles/Culver City, California, U.S. |
| Products | Bread, cake |
| Owner | Paul Helms |
The Helms Bakery was a famous bakery in Southern California. It was located near Los Angeles and Culver City, California. The bakery made delicious bread and cakes from 1931 to 1969. Today, the old bakery buildings are used for shops, restaurants, and design showrooms. This area is now known as the Helms Bakery District.
Contents
History of Helms Bakery
How Helms Bakery Started
In 1926, a man named Paul Helms moved to Southern California. He was from New York and wanted to live in a warmer place. In 1930, Paul Helms began building a bakery. On March 2, 1931, the Helms Bakery opened its doors. It started with 32 workers and 11 delivery trucks.
Just one year later, Helms Bakery became very special. It was chosen as the "official baker" for the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Paul Helms won a contract to supply bread for the athletes. His slogan was "Olympic Games Bakers - Choice of Olympic Champions."
Helms Bakery continued its connection with the Olympics. In 1936, Germany asked for Helms' bread recipes for their Olympic team. Later, U.S. teams in London and Helsinki also asked for his bread. Early Helms delivery trucks even had the Olympic symbol on them. This symbol was also on their bread wrappers and company signs.
Growing the Bakery Business
Helms baked goods were never sold in stores. Instead, they were delivered right to people's homes. The Helms motto was "Daily at Your Door." Every weekday morning, dozens of special two-tone trucks would leave the bakery. They came from the main bakery in Culver City and a second one in Montebello.
These trucks traveled all over the Los Angeles Basin. Some went as far as the eastern San Gabriel Valley. This was amazing because there were no freeways back then. A trip could take an hour or more. You can see some of these old trucks in museums today. There are trucks at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, the Lyon Air Museum in Santa Ana, and the LeMay Car Museum in Tacoma, WA. Even Disney California Adventure has a churro cart that looks like a Helms delivery truck!
Each truck had its own route through neighborhoods. The driver would blow a special whistle to let people know they were coming. Customers would also put a blue sign with an "H" in their window. This told the driver to stop. People would come out and wave the truck down. Sometimes, they even chased the trucks to other streets!
The back of the trucks had wooden drawers filled with fresh donuts, cookies, and pastries. The middle section held many loaves of freshly baked bread. Often, the products were still warm when customers bought them.
Paul Helms passed away on January 5, 1957. He was 67 years old. His family continued to run the business. The delivery network grew even bigger. It reached Fresno in the north, San Bernardino in the east, and Orange County and San Diego in the south.
In its last year, Helms Bakery even made "the first bread on the moon." This was for the Apollo 11 space mission.
Even though it was popular, the home delivery method became too expensive. Also, new supermarkets started selling bread from other bakeries. These bakeries delivered less often and were cheaper. So, the Helms company stopped its operations in 1969.
What Happened to the Bakery Buildings?
In the early 1970s, the Marks family bought the Helms Bakery buildings. They did something amazing in Los Angeles. They successfully changed and reused the historic buildings. This is called adaptive reuse.
The family worked on 11 acres of land. They fixed the original neon signs on the roofs. They also added two historic murals and large solar panels. They restored the unique Zigzag Moderne style of the buildings. The area was turned into new shops, home furnishings stores, and restaurants. It also became a home for media and arts companies. To remember the bakery's history, a small museum was put inside one of the stores.
Helms Avenue was closed to cars. This created a new area for people to walk. It's called Helms Walk. This new space has trees, grass, a water feature, and free Wi-Fi. It's a great place to meet friends or just relax.
The newest part of the Helms Bakery District is the Helms Design Center. It's close to the Culver City station on the Expo Line. This center has showrooms for architects and designers. It features famous brands like Vitra and Louis Poulsen. Also, a new 200-car automated parking garage was built. This was the first of its kind in Culver City. The bakery buildings continue to be leaders in using new technology.
Helms Bakery District Today
Today, the Helms Bakery District is a lively place. You can find many retail stores there, such as:
- Appliances, Plumbing, Design
- Arcana: Books on the Arts
- H.D. Buttercup
- La Bella Cosa
- Rejuvenation Lighting & House Parts
- Room & Board
- Scandinavian Designs
- The Rug Warehouse
There are also great restaurants to eat at, including:
- Father's Office
- Helms Bakery Cafe (Coming Soon)
- La Dijonaise
- Let's Be Frank
- Lukshon
- New School of Cooking
The Helms Design Center includes showrooms like Vitra and Carl Hansen & Son.
There is even a Helms Bakery Collectors Club. This club helps fans find old literature, items, and even original Helms delivery trucks!
Images for kids
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Olympic Bread sign on the building
