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Top 10 Unbelievable Facts about Beverly Hills

Beverly Hills is a city located in California, Los Angeles. The city has made a name for itself by being a popular tourist destination as it features some of the biggest houses, and many affluent people live in the area. The city has an average population of 34,362.

Beverly Hills was established after Gaspar de Portola and his expedition, including the Franciscan priests, arrived in the region. The region was named after Beverly, Massachusetts, which featured rolling hills. Percy Clark co. declared that Beverly Hills open in 1906, and in 1911 the construction of the Beverly Hills Hotel began. This development attracted tourists and thus making it a popular tourist destination. These ten facts will provide an insight into the glamorous city.

1. The city is known for being home to the world’s most expensive store

The House of Bijan is located on Rodeo Drive, and it is the most expensive store in the world. The 12-million-dollar store requires one to have a reservation in order to shop in there. Most customers spend more than 10,000 dollars in just one visit to the store as suits cost over $15,000 and socks start from $50. The store engraves well-known clients into its front window. Some of them include Michael Jordan, Barrack Obama, Arnold Schwarzenegger and others.

2. The police department in the city has the fastest response

The police department in Beverly Hills has a record of responding in less than a minute. This makes the city one of the safest places to reside in and thus attracting many residents. The average income for a person living in the area is $100,000, which means that they can afford to live in the city as the cost of living is high, being the second most expensive city in the United States of America.

3. The city’s first mayor is Fred Eaton

The city’s first mayor was Fred Eaton. He is noted for developing the water system in the city that supplied pure drinking water to its residents and for planting trees. The noteworthy ones being the row of palm trees found along Santa Monica boulevard. The mayor made an impact on the city by paving the roads to ensure that the problem with traffic flow was solved.

 His work and dedication were instrumental to the city’s development and as a result, he has a street named after him. Additionally, he was instrumental in the founding of UCLA in 1919.

4. The city is a hotspot for movie locations

Many movies have been shot in the city. Because of its posh nature, wealthy protagonists can be well portrayed in the area. Some of the notable places that movies have been shot at include Greystone Mansion, where 50 shows like Young and the Restless, Gilmore Girls and Entourage and 70 films including Richie Rich and Batman were shot. Another location is Beverly Wilshire Hotel, where Pretty Woman was shot.

Additionally, the area has been featured in numerous commercials because of its aesthetical features that will appeal to the audience a particular company wishes to target.

5. The North-African themed residential area failed

During the 1880s, some developers bought land in the area and attempted to build a residential area that would mimic the Moroccan style of houses, but it failed. This can be attributed to the fact that the plan was conceived when the long depression was in full swing. This made for poor economic conditions to bring a new idea into the market as the existing ones were trying to survive and, therefore, made the projects fail.

6. Trolley rides in Beverly Hills

Trolley rides are available to take visitors through a tour of Beverly Hills. These rides pass homes of celebrities which makes it a unique experience for tourists. They will be seeing where the people they idolize live. Additionally,  the trolley rides also travel through well-known shopping areas and designer shops like Gucci, Armani, Coco Chanel, Tiffany, Cartier and Harry Winston.

7. Beverly Hills has the world’s first 24-hour cupcake ATM

The Sprinkles Cupcake Bakery has a 24-hour cupcake ATM which is popular with residents and visitors of the area. The bakery captured a lot of attention for its innovation in that the cupcake ATM was a feature on Food Network as there is no invention like that.

The bakery allows visitors to view the ATM that dispenses cupcakes instead of cash without making a purchase. This means that the visitors can be part of the trendy experience even when they do not wish to taste the sweet treats. The cupcake ATM is located at the Santa Monica boulevard close to Rodeo Drive.

8. Beverly Hills got its reputation from Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford

In 1919, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, who were famous movie stars, bought a six-room hunting lodge at Summit Drive, which brought a lot of attention to the area. As they were notable people in the showbiz industry, many people followed suit and moved to the neighbourhood. As a result, they turned it into an affluent place where only the rich and famous resided in.

 Some celebrities who moved to the area after the couple bought the house include Charlie Chaplin, Will Rodgers and Rudolph Valentino.

9. The Beverly Garden Park is popular

The garden, which is located along Santa Monica Boulevard, is popular. It allows residents and visitors a chance to engage in an array of activities. The park is a jogging path where athletes can practice. Additionally, the park is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts as it features a garden and a pond where one can go and reflect whole enjoying nature.

10. Beverly Hills is home to the world’s first cheesecake factory

The cheesecake factory opened in 1978 close to Rodeo Drive, and it is considered the first one of its kind. Currently, the city boasts of more than 150 restaurants that amass close to $2billion each year in revenue. This is a testament to how much the city has developed over the past decades.