Then & Now, The Places We Return To: Holiday Traditions Rooted in Our History

When most people picture Palos Verdes history, their minds often go back to the 1920s — the earliest days of grand planning and coastal vision. But another beloved chapter took shape decades later along the heart of the Peninsula: Silver Spur Rd.

In the 1960s, Silver Spur became the bustling center of daily life — the place everyone went. The Peninsula Shopping Center opened in 1961, soon followed by the Peninsula’s first movie theater in 1963. By 1982, the very first Bristol Farms in Southern California joined the block, bringing a new kind of neighborhood market to Rolling Hills Estates. Add in favorite hangouts like Peacock Alley and Rolling Wheels Roller Skating Center, and Silver Spur Rd. became where memories were made.

It wasn’t just shopping or errands — this was where people connected. Families would gather for a bite before a movie, teens would meet up after school, and neighbors would run into each other while picking up last-minute ingredients. And every December, the City of Rolling Hills Estates made the season even brighter with the Parade of Lights — a holiday tradition that still remains a favorite tradition.

What wasn’t originally designed as a holiday destination has become part of how the Peninsula celebrates the season. From the past to the present, we’re still here — shopping for festive treats, grabbing cocoa before a show at the Norris, or simply enjoying the magic of familiar places lit for the holidays.

So this year, we’re taking a nostalgic drive down Silver Spur Rd. — revisiting the beloved spots we remember and the ones we treasure now — celebrating where holiday joy has always felt close to home.

Fox Theater: The Peninsula’s First Movie Theater — Later Home to Rolling Wheels

Images courtesy of the California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside, http://cdnc.ucr.edu

As development continued along Silver Spur Rd., the Peninsula’s first movie theater opened in 1963 in the building that is now Calvary Chapel Palos Verdes at 735 Silver Spur Rd.. A Rolling Hills Herald article dated July 4, 1963, announced that the Fox Theater would hold its premier opening on August 7, 1963, featuring The Thrill of It All with Doris Day and James Garner.

Local businesses placed welcoming advertisements in the same publication, marking the arrival of a modern cinema to the Peninsula. 

Less than twenty years later, the Fox Theater had closed, and the space transitioned to Rolling Wheels Roller Skating Rink — a new recreational draw for local teens. A Palos Verdes Peninsula News article from August 1980 noted that the Rolling Hills Estates City Council upheld a conditional use permit for the rink, with the proprietor anticipating a fall opening. The Palos Verdes Community Archives holds a DJ music request list with popular songs of the time, including “Vacation” by The Go-Go’s, “Tom Sawyer” by Rush, and “Everybody Wants You” by Billy Squier. Rolling Wheels operated until 1983.

Since 1961 | Peninsula Shopping Center: Still at the Center of the Peninsula

The Peninsula Shopping Center has been a cornerstone of Palos Verdes life for more than 60 years. Construction began in 1960, with plans calling for 100,000 square feet of new store facilities at a cost of $2 million. The grand opening was celebrated in May 1961.

At the time, much of the area between Indian Peak Rd. and Silver Spur Rd. was not yet developed, and it would be nearly twenty years before the mall now known as Promenade | PV opened nearby. 

A Los Angeles Times article from November 1960 noted that the new center would feature several anchor stores, including J.J. Newberry Department Store, Safeway, Lucky Market, Thrifty Drug Store, and Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors Ice Cream.

A second phase opened in 1962 with fourteen additional shops, including clothing boutiques, jewelry stores, and gift shops. Many of the original tenants have since changed, but Baskin- Robbins is still scooping up smiles — though no longer in its original spot.

Memories of Peacock Alley

Before TJ Maxx filled the space, shoppers once wandered through a unique marketplace known as Peacock Alley. The concept opened in 1977 and offered an open, contemporary shopping experience in a setting designed with redwood, glass, and a wide floorplan that showcased specialty goods from around the world.

A Los Angeles Times article from March 1978 highlighted Peacock Alley’s innovative design and its curated selection of independent boutiques. Among the vendors were the former beloved Peninsula toy shop Small Wonders and the well-known Beverly Hills chocolatier Edelweiss Chocolates, along with other favorite gift and specialty merchants.

By the early 1990s, the businesses had either closed or relocated, and the space transitioned to new uses. 

A subtle reminder of Peacock Alley’s distinctive design may still be seen in the windows facing Indian Peak Rd. — once part of the layout where the restaurant Fu Yuan Low was located.

Bristol Farms

Fresh food. Familiar faces. A neighborhood tradition — yesterday and today.

Bristol Farms traces its beginnings to Rolling Hills Estates, where founders Irv Gronsky and Mike Burbank opened the first store on Silver Spur Road in November 1982. With deep experience in the food business — especially high-quality meats — they envisioned a new kind of neighborhood market: expert service, carefully curated fresh foods, and a warm, engaging shopping experience unlike the typical supermarkets of the time.

From the start, that vision came to life. The heart of the store was its fresh meat and seafood counter, where everything was cut to order and never pre-wrapped. Produce, bakery items, and imported specialties were chosen with equal care. Shoppers quickly embraced the store’s distinctive approach, and Bristol Farms became a destination not only for locals but for South Bay residents seeking items they couldn’t find anywhere else.

As the store evolved, it pioneered innovations that now define the brand — an expanded seafood program, a world-class meat department, and restaurant-quality prepared foods. The addition of a full hot bar, the ever-popular Cookie, and a commitment to discovering exceptional products reflect its enduring spirit of culinary exploration.

What has always set Bristol Farms apart, though, are the people. Team members like Ramon in Seafood, Phil in Meat, Donna on the Front End, Ivan in Produce, and Isaac in Dairy are known by name — celebrated in reviews for their warmth, service, and expertise.

More than forty years later, Bristol Farms continues to serve the Palos Verdes Peninsula as the neighborhood idea that helped redefine specialty grocery in Southern California. With the recent reopening of its in-store coffee and juice bar, it remains a gathering place in Rolling Hills Estates — just as it has been since day one.