The Munch Box: A 1950s Chatsworth Icon

, Leave a Comment on The Munch Box: A 1950s Chatsworth Icon

Just past the railroad tracks of Chatsworth sits a small bright yellow burger stand, The Munch Box. This tiny walk-up has been serving Chatsworth locals and others since 1956. Today the ketchup and mustard colored building continues to be family owned and operated.

Straight on view of The Munch Box which features a rocked wall in the middle, flanked by bar stools against a partial brick wall up the side, with the building painted yellow and red script across the top reading "The Munch Box"

Myself standing outside of the bright yellow and red Munch Box building, wearing a white shirt with a clown marionette on it and text reading "From Hollywood Bob Baker's Marionettes" and red shorts with yellow pockets.

View looking at two bar stools against the yellow wall of the Munch Box, on the right is a wall made up of pale tan rocks.

Angled close-up view of the front which reads "The Munch Box" in red script.

When The Munch Box opened in 1956 it made root beer on site, and it even had a hitching post out front for horses. Arriving at The Munch Box in the 1950s meant you even had the possibility of bumping into famed western stars Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, who were known patrons of the tiny burger stand. It also became a hot spot for the local high school, many of whom return for a burger when they visit for Chatsworth High School reunions. Sadly, root beer isn’t made on site anymore, and the hitching post is long gone, but it is a miracle The Munch Box remains, and it is thanks to locals.

At 300 square feet, The Munch Box isn’t fancy by any means, with picnic tables and the tiniest counter you’ve ever eaten on, but it is a relic of a fast fading time in Southern California history. In the 1950s walk-up burger joints with outdoor seating fit for sunny California and were common place, but today they are disappearing, one by one, being wiped off the map, especially here where land is worth big bucks. When threatened with closure due to surrounding development, the community banded together, writing 1,700 letters to the city council, urging for Cultural and Historic Landmark status. The Los Angeles City Council didn’t even discuss the matter when the question was raised, seeing the value instantly and unanimously passing the motion that honored The Munch Box as Historic-Cultural Monument number 750 in 2003.

The side roof of The Munch Box, which reads "The Munch Bod Root Beer Chili Dogs"

Myself standing outside of the bright yellow and red Munch Box building, wearing a white shirt with a clown marionette on it and text reading "From Hollywood Bob Baker's Marionettes" and red shorts with yellow pockets.

Close-up of a bronze plaque that reads "The Munch Box Marcel Dumas, Architect Built 1956 Declared 2003 Historic-Cultural Monument No. 750 City of Los Angeles Cultural Heritage COmmission"

Myself seated at a barstool against the bright wall of the Munch Box, eating a burger, wearing a shirt reading "From Hollywood Bob Baker's Marionette's" and features a clown marionette,

Overall view of the Munch Box, which is a small yellow building with an angled Googie roof, rock wall portion in front, and lower area made up of red brick and red vinyl bar stools. Red script across the roof reads "The Munch Box"

Myself standing outside of the bright yellow and red Munch Box building, wearing a white shirt with a clown marionette on it and text reading "From Hollywood Bob Baker's Marionettes" and red shorts with yellow pockets.

Angled view of The Munch Box

Stop by The Munch Box for root beer and a burger at 21532 Devonshire Street in Chatsworth.

What’s Near By?

Corriganville

Valley Relics Museum

Outfit
Tee: Bob Baker Marionette Theater, Los Angeles, California
Shorts: Hammies
Shoes: Re-Mix
Jewelry: Here and there

Sources
Biederman, Patricia Ward. “Burger, Fries and a Slice of History.” Los Angeles Times, 19 March 2003.
Vincent, Ann. “Chatsworth Past & Present” Chatsworth Historical Society, April 2009.

Leave a Comment!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Having trouble commenting? Contact me