The iconic World Famous VIP Records sign will have a new home – across the street from the Long Beach record shop in a new public space the city will build.
And residents will have an opportunity to share their input on the design.
Long Beach will host a series of community workshops to help shape the design of the new public space for the historic VIP Records sign, according to a press release.
The future space, on the southwest corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, will celebrate the cultural legacy and lasting impact of VIP Records through community-informed design elements and community input opportunities, officials said.
The first workshop will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 1950 Lemon Ave., and will focus on community history and early concept design.
For more than 40 years, VIP Records served as a cultural landmark and a cornerstone of Long Beach’s hip-hop music scene, championing local artists and bringing community members together through music and culture, officials said.
In 2017, the City Council directed the city manager to secure an agreement with World Famous VIP, LLC, to remove, restore, designate as a historic landmark and temporarily store the iconic VIP Records sign. In 2018, the sign was officially designated a Long Beach historical landmark in recognition of its cultural and historical significance.
In January, the City Council unanimously approved a contract with World Famous VIP Records and its owner, Kelvin Anderson, to refurbish, license and publicly display the historic sign.
The Public Works Department will restore and relocate the sign to the southwest corner parcel of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway, where it will serve as the centerpiece of a new public space honoring VIP Records’ rich legacy and enduring impact in the Long Beach community. The final placement of the sign within the site will be informed by community outreach and feedback, according to the press release.
Celebrants attend a Juneteenth block party hosted by VIP Records on Saturday, June 20, 2026, on the Promenade in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
VIP Records owner Kelvin Anderson speaks during a press conference unveiling the plans to preserve and celebrate the history of the record store in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
VIP Records at Long Beach’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
A throwback photo of Kevin Ryder (far right) and Gene “Bean” Baxter (second from right) of KROQ 106.7/FM’s “The Kevin & Bean Show” outside of VIP Records during a promotional event. (Photo courtesy of KROQ 106.7/FM)
Mayor Robert Garcia is presented a proclamation to brothers Kelvin Anderson,left, and Cletus Anderson for their contributions to the city of Long Beach. Cletus opened VIP Records in 1978 and his brother Kelvin took over the business the following year. The VIP Records sign, located at 1014 E. Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, was declared a historic landmark this week. Long Beach Calif., Thursday, December 21, 2017.
( Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze / SCNG )
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Celebrants attend a Juneteenth block party hosted by VIP Records on Saturday, June 20, 2026, on the Promenade in downtown Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
The project has $735,000 in general fund and Measure A funding and is included in the Elevate ‘28 Infrastructure Investment Plan, the press release said.
At the first workshop, participants will have the opportunity to share personal stories, memories and community history related to VIP Records, and provide feedback on early concept design elements for the site via interactive activities, officials said.
A second workshop is anticipated to be held in the fall, during which the city will present conceptual designs for the space and gather additional community input before the project advances to the final design phase.
Community feedback collected throughout the engagement process will help inform the final design and site features, officials said. A refinement and celebration will be held thereafter to present the final design.
This workshop series builds upon previous community engagement efforts for Sixth District Elevate ‘28 projects, the press release said. In February 2025, the city hosted a community meeting at which Public Works, with support from the Long Beach Public Library, provided an overview of several planned infrastructure projects and facilitated an interactive discussion with attendees. The event provided an opportunity for holistic conversations about investments planned to enhance the Sixth District and the feedback and questions shared during that meeting helped inform ongoing project development.
Long Beach has partnered with Kounkuey Design Initiative, a nonprofit community development and design organization, to lead the project’s design and engagement process, the press release said. Over the next year, the city and KDI will conduct community outreach activities and advance site design efforts.
Construction of the new public space and installation of the restored VIP Records sign are anticipated to begin in the spring, with project completion expected by fall 2027.
For more information and to sign up for project updates, visit lbcity.info/VIPRecordsProject.