It's not just the obvious geographic feature that gives those three towns their names. In Torrance, along Hawthorne Blvd. and other major Blvds., there is a plethora of links in chain stores. It seems that _every_ US chain store is represented (including, thank god, Lucille's a small rib-joint chain).
On the other hand, in the Beach communities, it's almost all boutiques. There are lots of good restaurants, which seem to cater to the rich folks on the Palos Verde peninsula.
This commercial division corresponds to many other important differences. Unfortunately, chainism and mallism are seeping into the beach communities. -- Jim Devine / "There can be no real individual freedom in the presence of economic insecurity." -- Chester Bowles