Industry, Industry, CA

The City of Industry is a regional employment center with only a trace of residential life. Thousands of companies, warehouses and plants fill nearly all of its land, while only a few hundred people live in a small number of homes. For most home seekers, the name describes the job and shopping district surrounded by La Puente, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights, Avocado Heights and Bassett. There are almost no conventional residential streets. The handful of houses sit within a landscape built for freight, manufacturing and commerce, so anyone seeking a neighborhood atmosphere will find far more options in the adjacent communities. Heavy trucks and large industrial parcels dominate the streetscape. The city does have two notable public destinations. The Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum preserves an important piece of Southern California history, while Industry Hills Golf Club and Pacific Palms Resort provide hillside recreation. The largely emptied Puente Hills Mall awaits redevelopment after decades as a regional shopping landmark. Gale Avenue and Colima Road bring the most everyday energy. Dumbstruck Coffee, dim sum restaurants and dumpling shops serve workers and visitors, while Nijiya Market and Island Pacific provide Japanese and Filipino groceries in the surrounding commercial centers. The Metrolink station connects Industry with Union Station and the Inland Empire. Roads remain the dominant transportation network, and commuter congestion, semi-truck traffic and long industrial blocks make walking uncomfortable in most areas. Industry is not a typical place to choose for residential lifestyle. Its ethos is commercial and work-focused, with museums, restaurants and the rare home existing inside a city designed primarily to keep the San Gabriel Valley economy moving.