This Is The Original Taco Bell Building Being Relocated On The Back Of A Truck

It’s been nearly a year since we first told you about the possible demolition of a somewhat anonymous little building in Downey, CA, that nonetheless was the fountainhead from which an empire of gorditas, chalupas, and Dorito-shelled tacos burst forth. As we reported earlier this week, the original home of Taco Bell was to be relocated to the company’s headquarters in the middle of the night. Thankfully, folks came out to capture the move for posterity.

The Orange County Register reports that the 45-mile trip from Downey to Taco Bell HQ was supposed to last around five hours — a truck can only move so fast with an entire bricks and mortar restaurant on its back, even with an escort from six police cars — but the trip was completed in a little more than three hours.

Chris Nichols from Los Angeles Magazine was one of several people on hand to capture the move in short, social media-friendly video:

Taco Bell Numero Uno rolled out of its original location in Downey tonight. #savetacobell https://t.co/4rnPWjmbP3 http://pic.twitter.com/kAEm7aebxI

— Chris Nichols (@ChrisNicholsLA) November 20, 2015

So were the folks from We Are The Next, the non-profit that helped to spur interest in saving the 53-year-old building where Glenn “Taco” Bell opened his first Taco Bell, but his second taco restaurant. He’d already had a minor hit in the area with his four-location Taco Tia stores.

We Are The Next were also on hand at Taco Bell’s headquarters/lair when the truck arrived around 1:30 a.m. PT last night: