Paul Granata — longtime Downey business owner and co-founder of the Downtown Improvement Association — sits down with Mayor Mario to talk Granada's Italian Villa, a 25-year-old letter that started a movement, and what downtown Downey looks like now vs. then.
0:00 Pre-show
0:59 Show intro – "Hi, I'm Mario Guerra"
1:23 Welcome Paul Granata
2:30 Paul's history as a Downey business owner
7:55 The 25-year-old letter that started the DIA
8:32 How Porto's changed downtown forever
9:27 Paul on Mario's passion & the slow process of getting things done
10:26 The Gateway Sign — 15 years in the making
11:17 Mario gets thrown out of a 7th grade basketball game (they still won)
13:23 Paul selling the buildings & his legacy in downtown Downey
13:53 Remembering Paul's dad & the Granada's family legacy
14:57 Downtown today — nightlife, the DIA, and keeping things clean
17:16 The graffiti hotline & zero tolerance policy
17:58 What's coming to the old Granada's spot
19:14 Paul's retirement — boat, golf, grandkids & a 94-year-old mom
19:56 The real pressure of running a restaurant (ft. Clark Bruner)
22:42 Granada's outdoor patio — ahead of its time
23:18 Final thoughts on Downey's growth and traffic
25:11 Outro & Mayor's Corner every Friday at 3pm
📍 Talking Downey with Mayor Mario — Stories from the heart of Downey, CA.
📞 Mario: (562) 706-4114
