It's gone. If you drive down to the end of the 110 freeway today, expecting to find the weathered wood planks and the smell of sourdough bread that defined San Pedro Ports O’ Call Village for decades, you’re going to be staring at a massive construction site. It’s a literal hole in the ground—or rather, a massive redevelopment project called West Harbor. But for anyone who grew up in the South Bay or Harbor Area, Ports O’ Call wasn't just a shopping mall. It was a vibe. It was a strange, beautiful, slightly grimy slice of 1960s kitsch that attempted to shrink the entire world’s coastline into a few acres of the Los Angeles Harbor.
People miss it. Honestly, the nostalgia for that place is intense.
The village opened back in 1963. Dave Tallichet was the guy behind it, a visionary who also founded Specialty Restaurants Corporation. He had this idea to create a "New England" style fishing village right in the middle of the busiest industrial port in the United States. It was weird. You had these faux-shingle buildings and cobblestone paths, and right behind them, massive container ships from China were gliding past, towering over the restaurants like silent steel ghosts. It shouldn't have worked. Yet, for over fifty years, it was the soul of San Pedro.
The Rise and Fall of the Original San Pedro Ports O’ Call Village
When it first opened, it was the "it" spot. We're talking high-end dining at the Ports O’ Call Restaurant and tourists flocking from all over the world. But as the decades rolled on, the paint started to peel. The wood began to rot. By the 1990s and early 2000s, it had shifted from a premier tourist destination into something much more local, much more authentic, and—let’s be real—a little bit rough around the edges.
But that’s why people loved it.
You didn't go there for luxury. You went there for the San Pedro Fish Market. That was the undisputed king of the village. On a hot Saturday afternoon, you’d see thousands of people lined up for the "World Famous Shrimp Tray." It was loud. There were mariachi bands playing. People were smashing open crab legs with wooden mallets on outdoor picnic tables while seagulls circled overhead like vultures. It was chaotic. It was greasy. It was perfect.
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Why did it have to close?
The Port of Los Angeles had a different vision. They looked at the aging infrastructure and saw a missed opportunity. The lease for the village was up, and the city wanted something that looked more like the 21st century. In 2018, the bulldozers finally arrived. It was heartbreaking for locals. Watching the old bridge and the clock tower come down felt like watching a piece of Los Angeles history being erased in favor of something corporate and polished.
The reality is that the infrastructure was failing. The sea walls were old. The plumbing was a nightmare. To keep it going, someone would have had to sink millions into repairs that wouldn't even have fixed the fundamental layout issues. So, the Port opted for a total reset.
West Harbor: The New Face of the San Pedro Waterfront
So, what’s happening now? The site is being transformed into West Harbor. It’s a $150 million-plus project that is supposed to bring back the crowds, but with a modern twist. Instead of 1960s "ye olde fishing village" vibes, we're getting a massive outdoor amphitheater, high-end retail, and a Barker Hangar-style food hall.
It’s a massive gamble.
The developers, Jerico Development and the Ratkovich Company, are trying to strike a balance between the old "Port-style" grit and the needs of a modern L.A. diner. They’ve signed some big names. Mike Hess Brewing is going in there. Yamashiro (the famous Hollywood Japanese spot) is opening a second location. Even the San Pedro Fish Market is supposed to have a permanent, massive home again, though they’ve been operating out of a temporary "pop-up" nearby for a while now.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Village
One common misconception is that the village failed because people stopped going. That’s just not true. If you visited the San Pedro Fish Market on a Sunday in 2017, you could barely move. The foot traffic was there. The problem was the rent structure and the aging buildings. The Port of Los Angeles is a landlord that operates on a massive scale, and the small-scale "mom and pop" shops of the old village didn't fit the revenue models they needed for a multi-billion dollar industrial hub.
Another thing: people think the entire waterfront is gone. It's not. The Los Angeles Maritime Museum is still there (in the old ferry building). The USS Iowa is still docked right down the street. You can still see the cranes and the ships. The "village" was just one part of a much larger ecosystem.
The Loss of the "Village" Atmosphere
There was something about the old San Pedro Ports O’ Call Village that you just can't manufacture. It was the smell of the creosote on the pilings. It was the way the wind whipped off the main channel. It was the fact that you could buy a cheap seashell necklace and a $4 churro and then watch a Japanese car carrier move more cargo in ten minutes than most ports move in a week.
Modern developments often feel... sterile. They feel like "lifestyle centers." The old village felt like a port. It was honest about its location.
Navigating the Current San Pedro Waterfront
If you go down there today, you have to manage your expectations. You aren't going to see the village. You're going to see a lot of fences and heavy machinery. But San Pedro itself is still very much alive.
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- The USS Iowa: This is a massive piece of history. You can tour the battleship and see how the sailors lived. It’s intimidatingly large.
- The Maritime Museum: It’s located in the old municipal ferry terminal. It’s small, but it’s packed with incredible models and local history.
- 22nd Street Landing: If you want that old-school fishing vibe, this is where the sportfishing boats go out. It’s still gritty. It’s still real.
- Crafted at the Port of Los Angeles: This is a permanent craft marketplace housed in a restored 1940s warehouse. It captures a bit of that "maker" spirit that the old village had, but in a much more modern, curated way.
The Future of the Shrimp Tray
The question everyone asks is: "Is the Fish Market coming back?" Yes. It’s the anchor of the whole thing. You can’t have the San Pedro waterfront without that specific blend of spices and seafood. While they wait for their new permanent home in West Harbor, they are still serving thousands of people nearby. It’s a testament to the brand that people will still drive forty miles just to sit on a plastic chair and eat shrimp out of a cardboard box.
Why the History of the Village Matters
San Pedro has always been the "forgotten" part of Los Angeles. While Santa Monica and Venice got the glory, Pedro did the work. The village was the one place where the city's industrial engine met its leisure time. It was a weird marriage, but it worked.
The demolition of the village was a turning point for the community. It signaled the gentrification of a town that has historically been very blue-collar and very protective of its identity. When you talk to locals, there’s a mix of excitement for the new jobs and the new restaurants, but there’s also a deep sense of mourning for the "old Pedro."
How to Experience San Pedro Now (Actionable Steps)
If you're planning a trip down to the harbor, don't just look for "Ports O' Call." You'll get lost. Instead, focus on the surrounding area that still holds the spirit of the old waterfront.
- Start at the USS Iowa. Park there and walk south along the promenade. You can see the construction of West Harbor and get a sense of the sheer scale of the project. It’s massive.
- Visit the San Pedro Fish Market’s temporary location. It’s just down the road at 1150 S. Harbor Blvd. It’s not the old building, but the food is the same. Order the shrimp tray. Bring friends. You cannot finish it alone.
- Check out the Korean Bell of Friendship. It’s not on the water, but it’s just up the hill. It offers the best view of the entire port. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Catalina Island.
- Walk through the downtown San Pedro area (7th Street). This is where the real soul of the town is now. There are art galleries, old-school dive bars, and Italian delis that have been there for generations.
- Look for the "Ghost" of the Village. If you walk toward the south end of the new construction, you can still see some of the old pilings and the way the land meets the water. It’s a quiet reminder of what used to be there.
The transition from the old San Pedro Ports O’ Call Village to the new West Harbor is a perfect microcosm of Los Angeles itself—constantly tearing itself down to build something bigger, shinier, and hopefully better. Whether the new version can capture the magic of the old, salty, wooden village remains to be seen. But for now, the memories of those shrimp trays and the sound of the foghorns are all we've got.
The next time you're near the harbor, take a moment to look at the water. The ships are still coming in, just like they did in 1963. The scenery has changed, but the tide never stops.
Actionable Insight: If you're looking for the most authentic "old San Pedro" experience remaining, head to the 22nd Street Landing or the town's historic Italian district. While the physical village is gone, the culture of the harbor remains embedded in the surrounding blocks. Keep an eye on the West Harbor development schedule for the grand opening of the new public park spaces, which are slated to be the first sections accessible to the public as the project nears completion.