The Orange Circle

As far as commercial centers, the peaceful Circle area is the antitheses of sending your tourist relatives to Main Street in Huntington Beach. Despite a pair of Starbucks, the Circle is the best place in Orange County for some small town charm, mostly due to the park in the middle of the roundabout, making it Back to the Future-​like. In my teenage years I came often for the International Street Fair (every Labor Day), but lately my wife fell in love with the area after a walking food tour brought us to some very old and unique businesses. (She’s fond of Francoli Gourmet, I’ve always loved Felix’s). Just lately I went into the antique stores, which aren’t as grandma as I thought they’d be; perhaps I think so because I have been slowly becoming an antique myself.

City of Orange annual Christmas Tree lighting festivities. Choir and orchestra to entertain the crowd. Lots of fun crafts and large inflatables to keep the kids entertained. Also take a train ride around town. Local businesses and clubs selling good food and home made baked goods.
If you’ve never been to The Circle in Orange during Christmas it is a must do. Make sure you go at night to see all the wonderful lights.

I grew up in Orange, and it wasn’t until I grew up and moved out that I realized how special this place is. It’s a unique community with a lot of history and cute shops. Many are antique stores, and small restaurants. It’s always clean, and there are a ton of families walking around enjoying the day. They keep adding new restaurants as well (I noticed a Blaze pizza that replaced the old Radio Shack). My favorites are Felix’s and Bruxie (slightly off the circle).
They decorate for the holidays and once a year, they have this thing called the International Street Fair (
) where each street has booths from different countries! Love it!

The Orange Circle is very eclectic and Keechi. It is not my favorite place but it does provide for some interesting things.
It is essentially a roundabout which I absolute despise detest and want to shoot whatever jackass (es) decided this was a good way to have traffic move in modern times. The center of the roundabout is trees grass and essentially a small park. They have benches, flagpoles, and an area large enough to gather and watch traffic go by or have a small group event.
The restaurants and shops that surround the orange circle are the only reasons to come here unless you have a masochistic view of traffic and the lost people forced to drive through a roundabout but are not sure about how to proceed through one. Yes there are a lot of these folks… hence my hate of the architects and road engineers who design these into the landscape.
The shops and restaurants are of varying style degrees of tastiness and purveyors of everything from military surplus to antiques to hardware. The restaurants run the gamut as well with something of everything basically. Or so it seems…
So if you are a glutton for punishment, head on down and well you two can experience this special little place to your hearts content. Granted beware of little old ladies as they love this kinda place and it is literally filled with them… so that may not have been a speed bump that you just bounced over…

The Orange Circle is a great place to hang out. There’s plenty of local businesses to dine and shop at. Cool historic stuff to look at or just chilling on a bench by the fountain.
Personally, I love to go to eat at Bruxie, Felix, and Blaze. Drink at District lounge and shop at the Army/​Navy store.

In the center of historical Old Towne Orange there is a place where locals like to meet up and dine where also visitors come to shop for antiques. This busy focal point of the town would be called, «The Orange Circle.»
For the longest time up to about 10 years ago The Circle was known for their surrounding antique shops. For collectors and other antique dealers, there were always new treasures to be found. You can say businesses were booming. Other popular spots were some of their long standing restaurants that were established in the early 90s or even longer! Felix Continental Café, Watson’s, Omega’s Drive Thru, Two’s Company, and Byblos Café were and still are the originals of The Circle.
Once Chapman University started to expand, the Old Towne charm started to fade away little by little overtime. Businesses were pushed out and replaced by newer restaurants and shops to appeal more to the younger, expanding crowd. Antique dealers still go on the hunt for treasures but have a harder time finding and selling antiques. As a local born and raised in Old Towne, it makes me sad to see the drastic change. From growing up with two parents that worked in the antique shops to now being older and seeing a swarm of so many new people who don’t appreciate the history behind each and every store is devastating.
The thing with life is, everything has its time and then it all changes. It’s impossible to keep things the same. You can either grow to like something or change the scenery into something you like. The Circle is where I grew up, I might as well enjoy its last bit of charm.

Unilocal challenge 2015. ¹⁹⁵⁄₃₆₅
The Orange Circle is rich in history. It is also rich in shopping, food, coffee and sweet treats to please anyone. I have been coming here with my family ever since I was a young girl. More liked dragged with a promise of a chocolate malt at the «late» Watsons soda shop, if I was good. I never really appreciated the area until recently. By now it was to late. A lot of the rich history is gone. Many of the older buildingings have been remodled and many shops are no longer there.
What a lot of people don’t like to know, is, how rich in ghosts this area is. In fact they do walking ghost tours here in the evenings a few days out of the month.
Now, first off, I am not crazy. I promise you. I am just fascinated by the paranormal, Aliens, Angels, stuff like that. I love that stuff on Netflicks. Sometimes I see things. Sometimes I just know things before they happen. Instsntly know if I like someone. Half the time I just read the hubsters mind before he even has a chance to think. This is why Old town Orange has always fascinated me.
For 2 years I worked at a school here on Glassell in the 2000s. We were forbidden to talk about it among staff. But it was haunted. We would hear noises when it was nap time. Certain smells of cigar smoke came out of nowhere. Sweet flowery scents filled the school. We never liked going into the attic or into the basement. I was so curious, I went through the Orange archives to see whose soul was trapped in this house. Unfortunately, I was never able to confirm anything.
Antique shops are fluent among Glassell and Chapman. Huge multi level buildings. Many of these shops used to be morgues. Before proper refrigeratoration, the homes and morgues just filled their space with flowers to conceal the process our bodies undergo upon death.
Now, these antique shops that fill the area are little stores within the store. They sell beautiful hard to find items. Anything from old books, comics, jewelry, furniture, clothing, this and that. Lots of good finds. What people don’t realize is that spirits can attach themselves or energy to these treasures. Mirrors, dolls, ect. A huge no no to buy. Something may not want you to have it.
I was eating at the filling station once a few years ago. I kept getting this weird feeling from the back of the resturant. So, I asked if anyone has ever seen anything. Apparently boxes have fallen in the stock room, doors have shut, ect. Is it haunted? Maybe, it all depends on who you ask.
Once during a movie production in the circle film crews saw 2 little boys running around the set dressed in 1800s clothing. When they told the young boys they were not suppose to be there they just laughed. When the film crew turned around, then back at the boys, the boys were gone. Disappeared into thin air. In fact a few people have seen these rugrats roaming the area.
So, you wanna see a ghost? Many restaurants and stores can offer that scare. You have probably been to some without even knowing. You can even ask the employees if it us true. The Army Navy Store, the old church, the theater, Rurabegorz, Waahoos, Matoska Trading company and the Chapman Antique Mall are just a handful of them that may have a little extra special waiting for you.
So when you visit here, keep one eye on the lookout. If your worried, buy some sage Matoska Trading company. Wait, that’s haunted too. Most of the lingering spirits in the circle are just playful. No need to worry.
Happy Fall 2015
#690

This is our favorite place to hangout. Parking is always pain in the butt but you can find something if you drive around the neighborhood. All the shops except for restaurants close early so if you want to visit those cool antique shop, come in the day time. We always have great experience there, so we vlogged about it.

This is a really cute area that totally gives that small town feel. If you’re from a small town, it would probably remind you of home, but since I am not from a small town, I definitely can appreciate the vibe of it. There are a lot of businesses, from the little mom and pop eclectic shops that have been there for years to Starbucks inside the Old Wells Fargo Bank. What’s interesting about this place is that they still use it for banking services, from what I understand, so it’s cool that a Starbucks is located in the same lobby of the bank.
There are all kinds of restaurants; some commercial like Blaze Pizza and Avila’s Mexican food to individual proprietors like Citrus City Grille, Bruxie’s, and The Filling Station. If you want sweets, there is Perfect Circle Cupcakery and Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain where you can get cakes, pies with ice cream, and even a good old fashioned milkshake.
They have street fairs and other events to bring the community together and avidly advertise throughout the circle and side streets with banners and signage. Of course, you also have the beautiful park and fountain at the center of the circle where many people relax under the gorgeous trees. The Orange Circle is a great place for a day out or a date night. It’s also nice to walk through the surrounding neighborhoods and look at all the beautiful homes. They are all different and remind me of some of the bungalows in the beach cities.

If you’re into that oldtown vibe then nothing beats the Orange Circle. Recently they opened up a bunch of knew places to eat as well as dessert joints too but this place is known for their antique shops and old school record stores as well as mom and pop shops that have been in business for decades.
I love the Orange Circle. Everyone is so friendly despite how hectic this place can be traffic wise. Drivers get super confuse with the concept of traffic around a circle, not know who has right of way and pedestrian running wild but still I love the Circle.
I used to hang out at the Circle after high school and just kick it at the local starbucks. My buds and I would walk to Omegas which is outside the circle and just pig out there after. Great great memories of the circle. I come back occassionally to try their knew eateries. They now have a really really poppin blaze pizza, a sushi place that sucks and a decent popsicle joint as well as ice cream joint with weak spoons.
PS parking sucks

How can you not love the orange circle? So much to do, so much to eat, and Starbucks on adjacent corners. There really is nothing like it in Orange County, if you haven’t checked it out it’s worth blocking off half day to make some memories. Highly recommend.

The Circle is in the heart of Olde Town Orange offering a pleasant place to spend your day perusing in shops, sipping on a coffee or grabbing a bite to eat.
My in-​laws live off South Glassell so there is at least one visit to the circle when we’re visiting. We’ve been to Haven a couple of times, we’ve grabbed a bite at Francoli, and we’ve had our fair share of espresso from the baristas at Starbucks.
Parking is usually pretty easy to find in & around the circle. We usually walk, but there have been some occasions when we needed to park and it’s never been difficult. I hope the storefronts stay occupied as I would truly miss the area on future visits.

I absolutely adore the Orange Circle. The rich history behind it and the multitude of different businesses. Yes, it might get crowded, parking sucks and alot of hipsters hang out over here. Nonetheless, the circle is always a joy to walk thru and experience. The area is very safe, easily accessible, and the girls are hot! There are many bars situated in this area and the nightlife is popping. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking to explore a new locale or to go on a date with a hunnay.

Step into Olde Town Orange. Did you take Chapman Ave to get here?
There’s free parking for you behind the local Army/​Navy store.
Please do use the crosswalk to step into
The Orange Circle.
At each of the major holidays like Christmas and Channukah, you will find a Menorah being lite and a Crèche forming.
My only wish is that a small concert band could play here.
So awesome to find a real go to rockin’ it DOWNTOWN area in the deep suburbs of The OC when right next door in Irvine there are ONLY malls. God help us.