Culver City's Helms District Booms

The historic Helms Bakery, which operated from 1931 to 1969, was a Southern California icon famous for its home delivery via distinctive yellow trucks. The bakery gained international fame as the official bread supplier for the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games, a distinction still celebrated on the building's rooftop sign. The family-owned real estate firm Walter N. Marks, Inc. purchased the defunct bakery in the early 1970s, preserving the Art Deco landmark and transforming it into a design and furnishings hub. The incoming Ikea is part of the company's global strategy to launch smaller "city-center" stores in dense urban areas, a departure from its massive suburban warehouse model. Occupying a roughly 40,000-square-foot space formerly held by retailer H.D. Buttercup, this smaller-format store will still feature a food court and is slated to open in spring 2026. The classic Art Deco facade of the building will remain unchanged. The new Folks Pizza location marks the first expansion for the Orange County-based pizzeria, which opened its original Costa Mesa spot in 2019. It is set to open in April in the 3273 Helms Ave. space previously occupied by the restaurant Lustig. Hayama by Watami is also planning a spring 2026 opening in the district. This retail boom is set against the backdrop of Culver City's rapid expansion as a major creative and tech hub. The city's job growth has been 2.5 times higher than that of Los Angeles County, fueled by the influx of major employers. Companies like Apple, Amazon Studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery have established significant operations, creating thousands of new jobs and driving demand for local amenities. The Helms District's growth is part of a wider city-wide transformation, exemplified by large-scale, transit-oriented developments. Nearby, the 500,000-square-foot Ivy Station mixed-use project, adjacent to the Metro E Line, now houses Warner Bros. Discovery offices, 200 apartments, a hotel, and new retail and dining options, further increasing the area's density and commercial activity.