Amid the homogeneous grayscape that we currently find ourselves in, the loss of the Sunset Boulevard Arbys seemed to symbolize the loss of something greater a time when public spaces were fun and wacky, and when something as humble as a fast-food restaurant was designed to stun.The plight of many iconic post-war fast food restaurants in Southern California, which saw more than a few noteworthywins and losses locally in 2024, embodies the shifts in urban culture towards more precise, smartphone-directed daily itineraries while outlining some things we already know about the effects high rents and labor costs have had on public design, the New York Times' AnnaKod says.The Googie architecture of its often under-heralded champion, Helen Liu Fong, is one of the biggest victims. Leading advocate and architectural historian Alan Hess tells the outlet: "Ive been involved in historic preservation for a long time, and there arent many real success stories, sadly."