{"id":125909,"date":"2026-01-09T00:46:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T00:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/125909\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T00:46:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T00:46:11","slug":"vip-records-sign-an-iconic-long-beach-landmark-will-finally-go-back-on-display-for-the-world-press-telegram","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/125909\/","title":{"rendered":"VIP Records sign, an iconic Long Beach landmark, will finally go back on display for the world \u2013 Press Telegram"},"content":{"rendered":"

After many years, the iconic World Famous VIP Records sign will finally return to public display in Central Long Beach.<\/p>\n

The City Council unanimously approved a contract with World Famous VIP Records and its owner, Kelvin Anderson, this week to refurbish, license and publicly display the historic sign.<\/p>\n

The current identified location to display the sign will be on the southwest corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, according to a staff report. The site is slated to be named \u201cThe VIP Records Park,\u201d though the request must to the city\u2019s Government Operations and Efficiency Committee for study and subsequent recommendations to the City Council.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore folks have heard about Long Beach, one of the first things they\u2019ve heard about is some of the culture that\u2019s been shaped with the legacy of VIP Records,\u201d Mayor Rex Richardson said during the Tuesday, Jan. 6, council meeting, \u201cand all of the global culture that has come out of that.<\/p>\n

\u201cTonight, we have an opportunity to protect and showcase an important cultural asset,\u201d Richardson added, \u201cto partner with a local business, because VIP Records still exists today and is still operating today, to support them while also enriching our own cultural tapestry and creating a landmark as the world prepares to come to Long Beach.\u201d<\/p>\n

This collaboration between the city and the iconic record store comes at a time when Long Beach is investing in different sectors for economic growth through its Grow Long Beach initiative<\/a> \u2013 which includes investing in arts, culture and entertainment as the city prepares for global events in the Los Angeles area \u2014 including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.<\/p>\n

The iconic record store, 1028 Pacific Coast Highway, has also continued its work to fulfill a vision of a museum and educational center<\/a> at VIP Records that would honor the artists and music that shaped a generation while creating a dynamic space for education, community engagement and cultural preservation.<\/p>\n

\u201cVIP Records has been a meaningful part of Long Beach\u2019s cultural and creative identity since opening in 1978,\u201d Teresa Chandler, deputy city manager, said during the meeting. \u201cMore than a record store, it became a place where young people could explore music, creativity, and self-expression, and where local talent found mentorship and opportunity under the leadership of Kelvin Anderson and his family.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the early 1990s, it had evolved into a launchpad for aspiring local artists, providing a record store and a recording studio. Anderson played a pivotal role in shaping this musical legacy by investing in recording equipment and creating a small studio and stage inside the store, according to the staff report. With guidance from acclaimed record producer Sir Jinx, the studio became a creative hub for emerging talent.<\/p>\n

During the 1980s and 1990s, with gang violence escalating in the area, Anderson opened VIP Records as a safe space for local youth, offering them an alternative to the streets through music, the staff report said. Among the artists who recorded at VIP Records were Warren G and Snoop Dogg.<\/p>\n

In 2017, the City Council made an agreement with VIP Records to remove, restore and temporarily store the iconic sign, and to designate it as a historic landmark. In 2018, the sign was taken down when the building was repurposed for another business. That same year, the city designated the VIP Records sign as a Long Beach Historical Landmark.<\/p>\n

\"VIP<\/p>\n

VIP Records owner Kelvin Anderson poses for a photograph at the World Famous VIP Records in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"From<\/p>\n

From left, Tenisha Anderson and Latasha Anderson pose for a photograph with their father Kelvin Anderson at the World Famous VIP Records in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"VIP<\/p>\n

VIP Records at Long Beach\u2019s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

\"From<\/p>\n

From left to right, Mayor Robert Garcia, VIP records owner Kelvin Anderson, VIP Records founder Cletus Anderson and Long Beach Sixth District Long Beach City Councilman Dee Andrews, as Mayor Robert Garcia presented a proclamation to brothers Kelvin 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.
\n ( Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze \/ SCNG )\n<\/p>\n

\"Mayor<\/p>\n

Mayor Robert Garcia,left, is presented a proclamation to brothers Kelvin Anderson,center, 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.
\n ( Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze \/ SCNG )\n<\/p>\n

\"Mayor<\/p>\n

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.
\n ( Photo by Stephen Carr, Daily Breeze \/ SCNG )\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 6<\/p>\n

VIP Records owner Kelvin Anderson poses for a photograph at the World Famous VIP Records in Long Beach on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram\/SCNG)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

Recognizing its cultural significance, city officials said that Long Beach is committed to partnering with VIP Records to preserve the sign and secure a new permanent location for its public display.<\/p>\n

City staffers have worked alongside VIP Records and the Anderson family to draft a contract that will allow for the refurbishment and display of the sign and designate the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue as its new home.<\/p>\n

This includes entering into sublicensing agreements with third parties mutually approved by the city and VIP Records for a term of five years, with one additional option to extend for an additional five years, for a total contract amount payable to VIP Records not to exceed $170,000, according to the staff report.<\/p>\n

Some of the highlights of the contract include the city overseeing and managing the refurbishment of the sign, and contributing up to $235,000 toward that work, as well as to transport and install the sign. Fiscal year 2025 and Measure A funds were allocated through the Elevate \u201828 project list for the VIP Records sign placemaking, and that money will support the site improvements and related development work, Chandler said.<\/p>\n

The city will also be responsible for routine maintenance, and an annual reserve will be set aside for repairs. VIP Records will also retain ownership of the sign and its intellectual property, said Grace Yoon, deputy city manager.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are deeply grateful to Kelvin Anderson and the entire VIP Records family for their decades of creativity, mentorship and cultural leadership in Long Beach,\u201d Yoon said. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to honor that legacy, to bring the sign back into public view, and to celebrate a piece of Long Beach history that continues to inspire new voices today.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the meeting, Anderson thanked the city for its collaboration and this project that has been a \u201clong time coming.\u201d The store owner also thanked Rhonda Love \u2014 an influential figure in Long Beach\u2019s art community who died last year \u2014 for playing an instrumental role in connecting VIP Records with the city to bring this project forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cLong Beach is a big art and music location,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cI am just so excited to be a part of it. The VIP Records sign is definitely something in Long Beach that\u2019s basically known all around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo have the opportunity to be able to bring it back in public view is just overwhelming to me,\u201d Anderson added. \u201cForty-seven years on the block, building a brand such as this is special to me and my family and staff, so definitely look forward to moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anderson\u2019s daughter and CEO of World Famous VIP Records, Tenisha Anderson, shared similar sentiments about the importance the sign has had on Long Beach\u2019s culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe VIP Records sign is more than a record store logo,\u201d the younger Anderson said. \u201cIt is a cultural staple of Long Beach, representing a creative home for artists and the safe space that has helped shape generations through music, mentorship and opportunity. Our story is deeply woven into the cultural fabric of the city.<\/p>\n

\u201cPreserving and publicly displaying the iconic sign and supporting the naming of the VIP Records Park is a powerful way to honor the legacy,\u201d she added, \u201cand creating an inspiring public space for residents and visitors alike.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Long Beach City Council approved the agreement with an 8-0 vote.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is such a pivotal moment,\u201d said Sixth District Councilmember Suely Saro, who represents the district where the record store is located. \u201cWhile it\u2019s worldly recognized, (the sign has) always been a source of local pride, and that is something that people in Central Long Beach hold fiercely dear to their hearts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all very excited and really proud and honored,\u201d Saro added, \u201cto be able to move to the next phase of being able to restore the sign.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now with City Council approval, the Public Works Department will begin the process of selecting a contractor to refurbish the sign. That contract will come back to the council for approval at a later date. Public Works will also coordinate with Anderson and the Long Beach community to develop an appropriate placemaking design within the budget that will help improve the site of \u201cThe VIP Records Park\u201d to publicly display the sign.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After many years, the iconic World Famous VIP Records sign will finally return to public display in Central…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":125910,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[7,1610,1071,23,131,133,132,137],"class_list":["post-125909","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-long-beach","tag-california","tag-city-council","tag-local-government","tag-local-news","tag-long-beach","tag-long-beach-headlines","tag-long-beach-news","tag-los-angeles-county"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125909","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125909"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125909\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}