Spend a Day in Old Town Torrance
Historic Downtown Torrance is home to several restaurants, boutiques and other activities. This area offers a small town getaway where many of the buildings are very much the same as when they were built, some over 100 years ago. Here is just a sample of what you can do here in a day.
Torrance Bakery
You can start your outing with coffee and baked goods from Torrance Bakery on El Prado Avenue.
Kirk Rossberg is the owner of Torrance Bakery which has been in operation since 1984. Rossberg said that the area of Downtown Torrance has a very small-town atmosphere that is rare. “Downtown Torrance is this little oasis that, as you see the tree-lined street, has this vibrant very small town atmosphere you’ve probably noticed that you don’t get in a lot of places,” Rossberg said.
Donut Display Window at Torrance Bakery. Photo by Elizabeth Basile.
The Bakery makes everything from donuts to wedding cakes and has seasonal treats that match the holidays. Rossberg said that the bakery policy on holidays is to have a themed treat for every occasion you would need to buy a card.
“We have a couple of holidays [coming up in March],” Rossberg said. “...We have St. Patrick’s Day so we have a lot of like Shamrock cookies [and a green theme with other products].” Rossberg also mentioned Easter, which is also in March this year, will result in many bunny and Easter Egg-shaped goodies.
The bakery also has a coffee bar with a menu of house-made lattes and other drinks as well as a deli a couple of doors down that makes sandwiches, soups and other lunch items.
Antique Attic
After getting a treat you can walk down the block to Sartori Ave. and shop at Antique Attic. There are old-fashioned display windows to the right and left of the entrance, featuring the range of what they sell.
Some of the items have a glamorous history.
Marilyn Maynard, owner of the Antique Attic. Photo by Elizabeth Basile.
“We started buying props, stuff from movie studios and then I got into the studio wardrobes and I started buying my clothing from the studios,” Marilyn Maynard, owner of the Antique Attic, said.
Maynard also said that the movie and TV show set items she collects range from clothes to furniture, bought from auctions meant to sell off stock from a closing movie or show.
Maynard said that people of all ages enjoy the merchandise.
“I get people in their 80s, I get teenagers [who] come in, so it’s all ages,” Maynard said.
Various pins and brooches at Antique Attic. Photo by Elizabeth Basile.
Antique Attic has costumes as well as everyday clothes including dresses, jackets, a corset displayed on one of the mannequins, a traditional sequin flapper dress hanging on the wall and different kinds of hats.
There is also a range of prices from a few dollars to hundreds.
Monarch Ballroom
After a walk through the stores you could shake up the evening with a dance lesson at Monarch Ballroom.
Monarch Ballroom is on El Prado Ave. next door to Torrance Bakery. The ballroom is a bright space with a shiny wooden dance floor, chandeliers, and monarch butterflies hanging on the wall.
There are classes in the evenings from Monday through Thursday for dancers of all experience levels.
Front entrance of The Monarch Ballroom. Photo by Elizabeth Basile.
Max Rublyuk, owner and teacher, said that there is also a variety of ballroom dance styles you can learn in the group classes.
“Most of the group classes are designed for beginners and we have a few advanced classes,” Rublyuk said. “In the beginner classes, we rotate dances so you can get a variety of them.” In February the schedule of group classes offered salsa, samba and rumba for beginners. The classes for beginners on the schedule for March are foxtrot, cha-cha, bachata and salsa. Some of the classes are taught by Max, a ballroom dancer, himself.
Other Events
If you plan your outing on the right weekend, you can explore the Antique street faire. Where some of the nearby businesses and other vendors come together to form an open-air market.