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Here in my Mar Vista neighborhood, the big issue of the moment is plans to evict Pepy's Galley from the cafe's longtime spot at the corner of Venice Boulevard and Grand View Boulevard, inside Mar Vista Lanes. The bowling alley is apparently planning to renovate and rebrand as a more nightlife-oriented bowling place, like Lucky Strike at LA Live. According to a Facebook page, the plans are to put a supper club in the spot Pepy's occupies. A fast-growing Facebook group formed to save Pepy's and Phil Yoakums Bowling Supply has 4,229 members and a partner petition site has 1,230 electronic signatures.
Pepy's Galley diner and Phil Yoakums Bowling supply that have enjoyed 40 plus years of time at the Mar Vista Bowling Alley have been given 30 days notice to vacate. There are thousands of supporters that do not want to see these legendary small business owners have to come to an end. Employees will be out of work and a place for local, discounted family fun will no longer be a staple in the community like it has been for decades. The plan by Bowlmor/AMF is to demolish the area where Pepy's and Phil's is located at and turn it into a lounge/bar/supper club type of atmosphere, similar to Lucky Strike, 21 years and up venue.
We must petition quickly, in a civilized manner (so as not to cause backlash to Pepy and Phil), to make our voices be heard and stop this transformation from taking place and save Pepy's and Phil's livelihood.
I have never bonded myself with Pepy's, but it's full whenever I walk by. Another thing you always see outside Pepy's: a line of LAPD motorcycles. This place is really popular with the motor cops. In 2012, the LA Weekly declared Mar Vista Lanes to be the best bowling alley in Los Angeles and wrote at the time:
...home to Pepy's Galley, the pirate-themed diner that serves up Mexican and continental fare (or whatever else you might want — "If we have the ingredients, we can make it special for you because Pepy's here to please!" a note on the menu reads). That's not all — the building also houses a divey, mirror-walled bar that has a jukebox stocked with indie deep cuts (Battles, Panda Bear, Funeral-era Arcade Fire), and a bowling supply shop run since 1974 by mustachioed pro Phil Yoakum.
