In Compton, Tam’s regulars are proud of Super Bowl moment: ‘It felt like we were being seen’

It was enterprise as traditional for Tam’s Burgers No. 21 the Monday after the Tremendous Bowl, aside from the TV station doing interviews subsequent door and the handful of vacationers who got here to snap photographs in entrance of the restaurant.

For Compton locals, the beloved burger chain’s West Rosecrans Avenue location and different metropolis landmarks have been the celebrities of Sunday’s halftime present, which featured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar.

Kelly Flores jumped to her ft and cheered when she noticed the Tam’s Burgers signal reproduced as a part of the stage design, which additionally included a map of Compton projected onto the bottom and recognizable spots akin to Dale’s Donuts, the Martin Luther King memorial and the legendary Compton dance membership Eve After Darkish, the place Dr. Dre acquired his begin.

The 14-minute medley was a shining tribute to Black L.A. tradition and hip-hop, with the enduring Rosecrans Avenue lengthy identified for being the cradle of all of it.

“It felt like we have been being seen,” Flores, 24, mentioned. “It’s not nearly Hollywood, which is what everybody else is aware of L.A. for.”

Flores, who grew up in close by Watts, mentioned she and her household all the time selected Tam’s over McDonalds as a result of the meals price much less and the parts have been larger.

Began in 1971 by Kostas Vovos, the burger chain has greater than a dozen areas all through Los Angeles County.

Grandson Spiro Vovos now owns the Compton location. Dr. Dre’s agent reached out earlier than the present to let him know the restaurant can be featured within the halftime present, he mentioned.

“The most effective phrase that retains coming to thoughts is it’s a blessing,” Vovos mentioned. “It’s a really blessed restaurant and other people love coming right here.”

A continuing circulation of automobiles made its manner via the restaurant’s drive-through Monday afternoon, which was about the identical quantity of enterprise as traditional, Vovos mentioned, although he met some prospects on the town from so far as Florida and Nevada who got here by.

Began in 1971 by Kostas Vovos, Tam’s Burgers has greater than a dozen areas all through Los Angeles County.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Occasions)

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Tam’s Burgers was the “ditching spot” for most of the youngsters at Compton Excessive College, mentioned Jessica Palomo, 40, who was born and raised within the metropolis.

“I acquired in bother for being right here rather a lot,” Palomo mentioned, laughing.

She and her husband, Jose Palomo, mentioned they instantly acknowledged all the pieces on stage. The couple now dwell in Lengthy Seaside however determined to drop by the restaurant Monday to take an image of the signal to indicate their associates.

The burger spot was a central assembly location for Jessica and her associates throughout a extra harmful time for the town, when it was finest to put on impartial colours whereas strolling down the road to not affiliate your self with any gangs, she mentioned.

“One in all my brothers, he acquired shot throughout the road,” she mentioned, pointing on the McDonalds on the opposite nook of Rosecrans and Central avenues.

She was shocked — however proud — when she noticed Tam’s featured on nationwide tv.

“Now all people’s a part of one thing optimistic,” Jose Palomo mentioned. “Earlier than, [people] have been scared to come back right here.”

Compton has lengthy been related to a violent previous engrained in popular culture via films, rap lyrics and extra. However the metropolis of roughly 100,000 is remaking itself, with officers leveraging its relationship with homegrown celebrities to spice up growth and alter its picture.

“It’s about time Compton’s again on the map,” mentioned Faye Rogers, 55, who was promoting Valentine’s Day present baskets in entrance of Tam’s on Monday. Rogers, who has lived in Compton for 50 years, doesn’t normally watch the Tremendous Bowl however mentioned her husband referred to as her into the lounge when the halftime present started.

“This set is at residence, don’t you acknowledge it?” her husband requested her.

Some Tremendous Bowl employees from out of city determined to go on their very own tour of Compton after the sport, visiting all of the spots featured on Sunday’s stage.

Maxine Torres, from Salinas, was a part of the audio setup workforce and watched the present dwell from the sidelines. She ate breakfast at Tam’s and stopped by the previous location of the Eve After Darkish nightclub as nicely, although it has since been changed by a number of small companies. The crew was abuzz with pleasure after listening to concerning the stage’s native connection, she mentioned.

“Everybody needed to attempt Tam’s,” she mentioned.

The circulation of enterprise was about the identical as traditional Monday, although Tam’s served prospects visiting from so far as Florida and Nevada.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Occasions)

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