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1st Site Of Wienerschnitzel Chain Is Recognized As An LA Landmark

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Hot-dog lovers will relish this: The original site of the Wienerschnitzel fast-food chain has been designated a Los Angeles historical landmark.

The LA City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to bestow the honor on Wienerschnitzel's original site at 1362 Gulf Ave. in the Wilmington area.

The late John Galardi opened his first hot-dog stand at the site in 1961. He gave the joint the linguistically incorrect name "Der Wienerschnitzel" in honor of the Wiener Schnitzel, a Vienna-style breaded veal dish.

The building is still home to a Wienerschnitzel eatery, but it does not have the chain's iconic A-frame design that is somewhat reminiscent of a chalet; instead, it has a plain old flat roof.

The city's historical designation, submitted by City Councilman Joe Buscaino, who represents the Wilmington area, imposes legal requirements on any alterations made to the site.

The Wienerschnitzel chain dropped the "Der" from its signage in 1977 but still pays homage to the old name on its website, urging people to "Join Der Club" and touting its food as "derlicious." The chain now has nearly 1,000 locations around the nation and sells more than 120 million hot dogs a year.

The fast-food stand's walk-up and drive-through format is emblematic of 1960s' Los Angeles, according to Buscaino's landmark motion.

Galardi died in April at age 75 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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