First Black-owned Business in the Valley – Abe’s Lock and Key

The Crescenta Valley has had a history fraught with race relations. Early legal restrictions on home ownership and rentals by people of color ensured that the community stayed White. As well, a general attitude of intolerance made it uncomfortable here for non-Whites. Yet, in spite of that, one of the longest running businesses in the valley was multi-generational Black-owned for most of its nearly 100 years of existence.

Abe Williams, a Black man, opened a shoeshine and locksmith shop on Honolulu Avenue in 1924. It was a little one-room shack on the north side of the avenue in the 2200 block, about where Nix Marie clothing store is today. It was a tiny structure, only wide enough for a front door with two small windows on either side. In a photo from the early 1940s, we can see a sign above the door. It appears to say “Montrose Parlor Shoe Shine” and, hanging below that, a key-shaped sign that says “Keys.”

We know next to nothing about the business or Abe, its owner through that period. Despite its prominent place on Honolulu, we find no mention of it in the local paper and no ads. We know that in 1944 the business moved from Honolulu to a spot on Thompson Court, behind today’s Black Cow restaurant.

In 1948, Abe’s nephew, Sterling Goudeau Sr., took over the business. He is mentioned in the local paper in a joking way: “Sterling Goudeau has been hearing about shoeshine experts who tap dance while plying their trade. So he’s considering a shoeshine floor show to stimulate business.”

Despite the inappropriate joke, when time came in the early 1960s to construct a new building for the business the locals pitched in, donating materials and labor to help the longtime Montrose businessman.

Sadly, in 1965 tragedy struck. Sterling Goudeau Sr., only 55 years old, suffered a massive heart attack while behind the counter of the shop. A customer found him on the floor and ran next door for help from Gelsinger’s Meats. A doctor happened to be walking by right then and all rushed to Sterling’s aid, but it was too late.

Sterling’s son, Sterling Goudeau Jr., who had been working at JPL stepped in to take dad’s place. Things changed under Junior’s hand. The business became a true locksmith shop but kept the shoeshine trade as a side business. As well, the younger Sterling advertised prolifically in the local paper. In the ads, he warmly shared his family’s history and aspects of his personal life. For instance, he shared his love of motorcycling and boating, and invited customers to stop by and check out his speedboat.

In 1967, Sterling purchased a competing locksmith’s business at 2513 Honolulu Ave. – Community Lock and Key – and operated both locations. But in 1968, he combined the two businesses into Abe’s Community Lock and Key at a new larger location at 2360 Honolulu. In 1971 the business moved once again to 2445 Honolulu, across the street from today’s Trader Joe’s parking lot. Abe’s was the go-to locksmith for most of the valley.

One more move for Sterling. A couple of decades ago he moved to a shop behind the Verdugo City Post Office, still on Honolulu, just west of La Crescenta Avenue. In 2008 the aging Sterling took on an experienced locksmith, Vahe Arakelian. Sterling died in 2012 and the Arakelian family bought the business from the Goudeau family promising to keep the “Abe’s” name.

The Arakelian family has celebrated the nearly 100 years of local history in Abe’s Lock and Key. The shop is run with the help of Vahe’s two sons, Andrew and Paul Arakelian, who manage the shop. In fact, it was Paul who supplied info for this article. When you visit their shop you will find photos of the old Abe’s locations on the wall and some ancient key-cutting equipment on display. Even their logo is the same one used by Abe’s for decades.

We’re lucky to have a business that celebrates its heritage, especially when it’s something as unusual as a Black-owned business in a predominantly White town.