The other day I heard from a reader and possible acquaintance who does not want to be named. He said he grew up in Echo Park, attending Elysian Heights Elementary School until 1963, which puts him among the lucky who knew the famous cat Room 8. He no longer lives in the neighborhood but visited recently. He said the name Chicken Corner is new:

"Chicken Corner" is a moniker that was bestowed after I left the area. I knew the site as the former location of Les and Golda's neighborhood cafe (it was really the neighborhood dive bar). My dad got drunk there a lot. I think it closed up in the late '50s. I well remember Jack's gas station across the street, however.

I went through the old neighborhood today (11/27). ... I wanted to have bao from the Phoenix Bakery (formerly the Pioneer Liquor Store), but it looks like they went out of business. Had pollo rosado at Pioneer Chicken instead.

Some names stick, and some don't. And some things resist being named, or re-named. I'll be curious to see if the name Chicken Corner survives the condos down at Chicken Corner. Might have to do a lot of standing around in the rain before I find out.