Fairfax Theater on Beverly and Fairfax?
 

I've seen several Miracle Mile District Theaters mentioned, including: The Four Star, the Fox Ritz, the Fox Carthay, the El Rey, the Pan Pacific and the Fox LaBrea. What about the Gordon on La Brea, the New Beverly on . . . Beverly. . the Silent (Ssshhhh) on Fairfax and the Fairfax conveniently located on Beverly and Fairfax.

A faded advertisement on the back of the theater, visible from Fairfax: "Glorifying the Talking Picture." ???

March 1930
http://photos.cinematreasures.org/pr...jpg?1309071080 http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/1163

http://la.curbed.com/uploads/2009.12.savefairfax.jpghttp://la.curbed.com/tags/fairfax-theater

Circa '45. "General 40 cent admission"
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics35/00067272.jpg lapl


The former "Gordon" then "Cineplex Odeon" theater on LaBrea:

http://photos.cinematreasures.org/pr...jpg?1309313531 http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/1131

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8603/nugentframe.jpgebay


Nugent Chevrolet/Oldsmobile was at 400 S. La Brea... "OK" was Chevrolet's national branding for its dealers' used car operations. Nugent was selling Chevrolets at least by the late '20s at 627 S. La Brea (just down from Gillingham DeSoto), moving to 400 by 1934, where it was still listed in 1987 and, apparently, beyond. The license frame above dates from the '80s--around the time of Olds's bizarre "It's not your father's Oldsmobile" ad campaign, which is credited by some as leading to the brand's demise.

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8...ntarticleb.jpgLos Angeles Times, August 13, 1981


http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/661...627slabrea.jpgGoogle SV
Nugent's earlier location--627 S La Brea

The difference two months can make
 

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/119...lerjan2011.jpg
http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/3680/...rmarch2011.jpg

"Driving" down La Brea on Google Street View, these images fade into each other....

Do you know about this website?

http://www.historicaerials.com/

You can compare a location through the years with a sliding tool, so cool, and it shows the gas station on the block with the May Company Wilshire was there in 1972, but replaced by 1980.

[QUOTE=GaylordWilshire;5679719]http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8603/nugentframe.jpgebay


Nugent Chevrolet/Oldsmobile was at 400 S. La Brea... "OK" was Chevrolet's national branding for its dealers' used car operations. Nugent was selling Chevrolets at least by the late '20s at 627 S. La Brea (just down from Gillingham DeSoto), moving to 400 by 1934, where it was still listed in 1987 and, apparently, beyond.

Behold Gillingham's Showroom ca '29. But are they last year's models? It appears that the showroom could be opened up by an enormous movable (roll up) partition. Practical? Doubtful it was lightweight. Spanish tile roof accents and tall front fascia were a nice touch. Was there an off-site garage for service?

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/6...3a772c01_b.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/ozfan22...n/photostream/

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_zXN_GwdMYMo/TO...12346%20AM.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6...3672e00b_b.jpg
[URL="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozfan22/6813495004/in/photostream/"]http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozfan22/6813495004/in/photostream/[/URL]

Muller Bros. was at 6380 Sunset... check it out here.

Welcome to the thread BifRayRock!
I've really enjoyed your posts these last two days (actually I was out of town so I just now finished viewing them in one fell swoop). You posted some truly amazing photographs and many interesting facts. Thank you for sharing them.
_____


It was great seeing the marquee of the Hotel Barclay alanlutz. I am curious about the lobby; did you happen to peak inside?

Dept. of Useless Information
 

After spending too much time studying the early aerials I think the dark blob indicated by my arrow was in fact the La Cienega oil well.

Beverly is at the top if the image with the big Rexall store at the Southeast corner of La Cienega, 3rd St. is at the bottom.

http://dkse.net/david/LaCien.Bev.oil.jpg

I think this would be today's view:

http://dkse.net/david/LaCienoil.well.today.jpg
http://maps.google.com

Another little tidbit: in the first photo, to the right of the tall young lady and beneath the Seagram's billboard, is the barely visible Smokey Joe's Cafe. You can see the sign a little more clearly on the zoomed snippet below. (Same source.)

Smokey Joe's Cafe was the beanery that inspired Leiber and Stoller's novelty rock hit of the same name, recorded by The Coasters.

http://dkse.net/david/Bev_LaCien.SmokeyJoes.snip.jpg

I really like this century old building at 1727 North Spring Street at Aurora Street.

http://imageshack.us/a/img822/173/17...ataurorast.jpg
google street view





below: Here is a closer view of the elaborately decorated entrance (especially when you compare it to the rest of the building).

http://imageshack.us/a/img100/173/17...ataurorast.jpg
google street view





below: Looking south toward 1727 N. Spring Street from the northern end of the Spring Street Bridge. The short cross street is Aurora.

http://imageshack.us/a/img443/4544/1...taurorafrp.jpg
google street view






below: In this view looking northward toward 1727 N. Spring (far right), a large building with impressive arches
(perhaps an old warehouse?) and a smaller building adjacent to 1727 form a multi-building 'facility' of some sorts.
I'm intrigued by the extended shape on the roofline of 1727 (the shape is reminiscent of Dutch Architecture).
Is this a remnant of a taller building that once stood between the 'building with arches' and 1727?

http://imageshack.us/a/img3/5206/172...southernne.jpg
google street view






below: One last photo.
The skyline of downtown Los Angeles can be seen in the distance with 1727 N. Spring St. on the left.
This view is looking south from the Spring Street Bridge.

http://imageshack.us/a/img59/8792/17...ataurorafr.jpg
google street view

___

[QUOTE=ethereal_reality;5680641]Welcome to the thread BifRayRock!
I've really enjoyed your posts these last two days (actually I was out of town so I just now finished viewing them in one fell swoop). You posted some truly amazing photographs and many interesting facts. Thank you for sharing them.

Back at you!

You folks have done a tremendous job. Only wish there was a simple means of categorizing some of these pics and discussions for easy reference.

One observation which others may have made, is the virtual absence of graffiti? It must have occurred. Fraternities and kids and mischief makers didn't disappear during the depths of the depression. Or were people generally more respectful, despite well known hardships. Were the negatives destroyed, or was paint/spray paint in short supply?

One can only imagine what would happen to a canvas like this today:

http://s3.hubimg.com/u/2905838_f496.jpg http://www.google.com/imgres?q=drive...:24,s:47,i:283

http://filmforno.com/wordpress/wp-co...anger_bw01.jpg

http://filmforno.com/wordpress/wp-co...caught_opt.jpghttp://www.filmforno.com/?cat=7

http://filmforno.com/wordpress/wp-co...ddenly-6sh.jpghttp://www.filmforno.com/?cat=7

I still need my monkey fix. :)

Good sleuthing and good info! But something doesn't fit with my memory.

Again, I was not around to see the actual derrick depicted in the photographs and I am now questioning whether what I remember from the early '80s was a vestige of that well or something else. I remember an island traffic hazard that served no apparent purpose in the center of La Cienega. It did not seem to be temporary and I did not investigate it. I thought it was much closer to the intersection with Beverly then your aerial shot. I could always be mistaken, too. The smaller pics below are interesting. One shot has the well a few hundred feet from an intersection. One picture of Beverly Park has the tip of a Rexall sign and appears to be in the same area and there is no island at all, or at least not in the picture. It may also be south of the so-called island.

Some additional thoughts. One might expect pictures of the well outside of what was then called Kiddyland or Beverly Park. Same with construction of the Beverly Center and the Ma Maison Sofitel. Maybe the memories of some former students can shed some light? http://www.1400ml.com/jbclassof62/pa..._comments.html

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/179374/188859.jpghttp://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages...tml?1297118933

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...6583D3889?v=hr http://www.americanhistoryonline.org...8531?page=2496

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...StreetWell.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ba...StreetWell.jpg

20's:
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7691646_n.jpghttp://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...type=1&theater

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2214041_n.jpghttp://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._5118225_n.jpghttp://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._2638972_n.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6...42a88566_b.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/9814/1727nspring1.jpg[URL="http://lapl.org"]LAPL
http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/5387/1727staute.jpgLAPL

The LAPL's intriguing caption for the top pic reads: "The ground-floor renovations inside the downtown Woman's Building at 1727 N. Spring St. are an example of emerging 'feminist' architecture. Photograph dated: December 3, 1983."

The LAPL's caption for the next shot: "Sculpture, the 'Naked Lady' by artist Kate Millett is positioned atop the Women's Building today in the 1700 block of N. Spring Street in Los Angeles. Photograph dated December 13, 1978."

Another tenant, ca. 1960, was the Los Angeles Trunk Manufacturing Company.

:previous: I can always rely on you Gaylord_Wilshire.

I would love to find out more information on this building.....say at the beginning of the 20th Century.
I don't know why I'm so intrigued by it....but I am.

I like that it's in a somewhat remote part of the city (north of downtown..standing alone).
____

Snapshot taken on Sunset. I wonder what 'The Village' is that can be seen further down the sidewalk.


http://imageshack.us/a/img684/6281/aasunsetsignsnap.jpg
ebay

I thought perhaps G_W might have covered this automobile dealership but all my 'searches' came up empty.


below: Beverly Buick at 9231 Olympic Avenue.

http://imageshack.us/a/img848/3035/a...k9231olymp.jpg
ebay





below: What's so amazing about this particular dealership is that the 'streamline moderne' building appears to have survived relatively unscathed.


http://imageshack.us/a/img860/2359/a...ktoday9231.jpg
google street view




below: A somewhat closer view with a glimpse inside the interior showroom.

http://imageshack.us/a/img402/6501/a...ktoday1oly.jpg
google street view




below: .....so many beautiful horizontal lines....plus a curved facade (simply beautiful in it's grace).

http://imageshack.us/a/img407/3190/a...kt1olympic.jpg
google street view






below: The 9231 entrance along Olympic Blvd.

http://imageshack.us/a/img839/4628/a...ktodays1ol.jpg
google street view



below: One last view of the 9231 entrance.


http://imageshack.us/a/img43/1678/aa...ktodaystre.jpg
google street view

___

e_r, you did it again...read my mind, that is. I'm very interested in this odd older section of industrial L.A., just South of the "Cornfield". In fact I made a point of exploring these streets while taking some friends on a long urban walk around DTLA a few weeks ago, and took some photos of this very building. I don't know when it was built, but sure would like to. Several in this neighborhood are from the late 1800's.


A close up of the doorway. Very nice.

http://wwww.dkse.net/david/100_6574.JPG


The side of the building, as seen from Aurora St. Sadly, an idiot tagger got to it. :(

http://wwww.dkse.net/david/100_6572.JPG


I don't know why but I like the way "RECEIVING" is stenciled above the door, and the look of the 103 numerals on the green door.

http://wwww.dkse.net/david/100_6573.JPG


Behind this group of buildings, facing the Cornfield, are some very old railway tracks. Clearly, these were a spur line that passed by the loading docks on the buildings. Walking around there one sees that the owners and tenants have chosen to preserve, even showcase these old tracks.

http://wwww.dkse.net/david/100_6570.JPG

The Cornfield was home to River Station, one of L.A.'s earliest railway stations -- perhaps the first -- I'm not sure. The Pacific Hotel stood on the grounds of the Cornfield. It's gone now of course, but its location is outlined in the park. The Cornfield is a very pleasant place, and the Gold Line cars heading back and forth on the Pasadena line maintain the "railway" feeling.

Wow! I bought a piece of crap Chevrolet from Nugent in 1980. The driver side window mechanism kept breaking, twice under warranty and once afterwards. I had to threaten them with a sit down strike in the service lane (I told them to call the cops to evict me, if they dared. They didn't.) in order to get them to repair that window gratis a third time. My next car was a Honda, and I have not owned an American car since then. I could tell other stories about Nugent, but why kick a dead horse.

KGFJ Radio station building
 

A little history of the Mullers from Hollywood Heritage: "The Muller family is one of Hollywood’s pioneers. Jacob Muller came to Hollywood in 1893, establishing the first meat market in Hollywood, across from the present Cinerama Dome on Sunset Boulevard. He sold the market in 1907 and established the first ice company in Hollywood, selling that business in 1913. The family’s original house was built Sunset Boulevard at Ivar. This site later became the location of the RCA Building, built by the Muller Family in 1963 (currently the Los Angeles Film School Building).... Across Sunset Boulevard on 4 acres, where the Cinerama Dome Theater and a new retail center is under construction, was Muller Brothers Service Station. Opened in 1920 by Jacob’s sons, Walter and Frank, this became the largest service station in the world (including a large automobile supply center), employing 120 people by 1937. Celebrities, from Rudolph Valentino to Clark Gable, came by regularly to get gas or just work on their cars. In 1963 the site was sold for the Cinerama Dome Theater, and, at that time, an eventual hotel."


Curious, does anyone know of any photos taken of KGFJ Radio located at 6314 Sunset Blvd.? It would have been between The Muller Bros. and Vine Street. It was described as being in a big white house. Torn down for the Cinerama Dome.

Re 1727 North Spring....
 

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/4...andard1727.jpgyou-are-here

That's "SOC"... I've discovered that 1727 N. Spring was built as the Standard Oil Company's sales offices in 1914.

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics34/00066510.jpgLAPL

The Ford incarnation of Beverly Buick is reminiscent of its predecessor three blocks away.... See that post here.

The building looks empty of Fords or Buicks or anything else as of the GSV pic...anyone know what's happening to the building?

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059967.jpgLAPL
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059882.jpgLAPL
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059968.jpgLAPL

The Village Cafe was at the northeast corner of Sunset & Western.... there's a Verizon store there now. Not sure when the cute little building--especially that coved corner door--was demolished, but the Sunset Theater just up Western was only torn down within the past 10 years, I think. Btw... do we think the young man in the ca. 1950 shot is the man with the cane in the '70s shot just below it? I suppose he wouldn't have aged that much in 25-30 years....

(I guess I'm on a roll this morning.... I'm going away next week for 10 days to a place with limited internet. Will I survive noir withdrawal?)

That reminds me. In the early 1960's my uncle operated a recording studio at Sunset and Western called International Sound. He recorded the rock hit "Tequila" there, along with many other records. I have photos of the inside -- some with a very young me at the mic, and at the record cutting lathe -- but none of the outside. He used to claim that Cher worked there as his secretary for a little while, which may or may not be true. :rolleyes:

I don't know the address but it was a few doors down from the Northwest corner (to the left of the above photos). It later became Sunwest Studios but the building was demolished and the site is now part of Osh's parking lot.

If anyone happens to have a shot showing the outside of the building with the International Sound sign, would love to see it.

if were on the subject of studios i would like to see a few,one being goldstar where my dad recorded,it was on santa monica and western(i think),and david you bring up cher,well she was on a lot of recordings during dads Bob B Soxx and the Blue Jeans period,this was prob when she was a secretary at your uncles studio.anyways when sonny and cher got big cher called up dads coasters group and they did the show for SaC.Another studio i would love to see is the KFWB studio near Capitol Records,it was on the taredown list for a while.

Funny that you mention Gold Star. This was a very famous studio in Hollywood. My uncle was associated with that place too, and took me there a few times. I know the founder and met with him just last week. He's a very nice gentleman who's had an amazing career. I'll be seeing him again tomorrow so why don't you PM me with some info about your father, and I'll see he has any photos or stories about him.

Was your dad one of The Coasters?

Gold Star was at the Southeast corner of Santa Monica and Vine. It closed in '84, then there was a fire, then the building was demolished and now a mini-mall occupies the site. Yes, it was home to Phil Spector and the "Wall Of Sound". I just did a quick photo search but only found pictures of the studio and control room. Does anyone here happen to have an exterior shot?

:previous:

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9509/goldstaro.jpgLongfade

Gold Star was listed at 6252 SMB in the 1956 CD, probably around when this pic was taken.... Across the street, at the northeast corner of SMB & Vine, is this building, just about the only survivor on or even near the corner....

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics03/00011237.jpgLAPL
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7...2520AM.bmp.jpgGoogleSV

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059975.jpg

The photos appear to be from the late 70's. Judging from the theater marquee, the neighborhood was (and perhaps still is) at a crossroads. (It is unlikely the young man from the '50s - is in the 70's photo with a cane. He knew he was a good candidate for being struck in the crosswalk of that busy intersection or mugged for his shoes. He therefor moved to Downey and worked in aerospace. He is currently retired and living with his daughter in Fresno.)

Builders Emporium on the NW corner (now occupied by OSH) was a natural place for local industry people to shop for rare spackling compound and counter-clockwise drywall screws - when Sears on Western and Santa Monica Blvd was out of stock and Koontz Hardware in W. Hollywood, Sears on San Vicente and Pico, Larchmont Hardware, and B&B (Washington Blvd.) - were too far to be inconvenienced.

http://www.whspioneers.org/builders_emporium.jpghttp://www.google.com/search?q=build...w=1280&bih=812

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3493/5...fea5f5fb_b.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/65359853@N00/5846073038/


Pico and Rimpau Sears:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-F33CcVbX...0/Sears-43.jpg http://www.google.com/imgres?q=sears...9,r:5,s:0,i:80

http://www.uncanny.net/~wetzel/picoviaduct2.jpghttp://www.google.com/imgres?q=sears...9,r:8,s:0,i:86

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...8D8BD9D8F?v=hrhttp://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1335541320350http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...NG-4888-B?v=hrhttp://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1335541320350


http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6...7368cd7970b-pihttp://www.google.com/imgres?q=build...9,r:5,s:0,i:79

http://s3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com/bpho...ZWoLNgfA/l.jpghttp://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Xxkem...djn7UiZWoLNgfA

http://www.uncanny.net/~wetzel/20thFox1.jpg

http://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-co...Santa-Moni.jpghttp://www.pacificelectric.org/wp-co...Santa-Moni.jpg

Fox lot '35
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-36435?v=hrUSC digital library

http://www.uncanny.net/~wetzel/centurynow.jpg

With a bucket full of poetic license - and if the Planets were in proper alignment - you should be able to hitchhike to the Sears at Pico and San Vicente. Upon discovery that they did not have the product you needed, you notice the Pacific Electric street car over the viaduct and decide to hop on and visit the Santa Monica Sears. Along the way you enjoy traveling Santa Monica Blvd. to what would later become Century City, ponder whether to audit a class or two at UCLA when crossing Westwood Blvd, and then wake up in Santa Monica and hope the Sears is open late. Getting home might be another matter especially since you left your wallet on the Streetcar.

http://www.uncanny.net/~wetzel/smline.htmhttp://www.uncanny.net/~wetzel/santamonicanear4th.jpghttp://www.uncanny.net/~wetzel/smline.htm


http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4151/5...108ae4c0_z.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/38310569@N02/5106181129/http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...-11.-ISLA?v=hrhttp://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1335541320350

Eventually, after many delays (due to Bulldozer crew's misplacing of their hardhats, overalls and sunglasses) the Freeway would be partially completed. After sticking around long enough to borrow a Packard 120 and take advantage of the Freeway, you notice the Sears in the far right of the picture and then realize you missed your turnoff as the car begins to sputter and run out of gas.:koko:


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...154-013~1?v=hrhttp://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...154-013~2?v=hr http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1335541320350

Santa Monica Fwy, '61
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...MON-001~1?v=hrdigitallibrary.usc.edu

BifRayRock, can you give me the complete link to that very last photo? The Asian man on the left side of the group looks very much like T.Y. Lin, a structural engineer who was my late father's partner for many years. I wonder if it was him?

(Wow, all the recent coincidences here...)

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1783/bullocks.jpgLAPL
1942

Hope this is the photo to which you are referring and the link is correct.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...-N-12154-013~2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung-Yen_Lin


And if it is this photo, the gentleman on the far left reminded me of former Dallas Coach Tom Landry - who would have had some familiarity with the Colosseum, LAX and certain LA hotels and eateries, when coaching against the Rams.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...154-013~2?v=hr

http://www.profootballhof.com/assets...on_180-220.jpghttp://www.google.com/imgres?q=tom+l...,r:2,s:0,i:100

Exposition Park 1918:

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-10037?v=hrhttp://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...=1335545418098

Bifray all i can say is just wow,you forgot to mention that there was a builders emporium on pico just west of the sears,the sears on pico stood empty for maybe 10 years the last thing operating out of it was builders discount.the cool thing about pico sears was the former gas station/auto shop that got used as a gardening store and the bus depot right next to it where you could see track crack and some tracks from when the yellow cars use to turn around.the pics are just wonderful,i didnt know there was a substation for the pe's vineyard station(sears is in the background).I wonder when the pe cars stopped using the viaduct crossing pico?

and gaylord wilshire thanks for the goldstar color pic,that sure does make my day,my pops name was bobby sheen and he worked with phil spector from 1961 to about 1970,he started off as a replacement lead singers in the robins in about 1957,then went with phil in 61 and recorded a few singles,then in 62 they formed Bob B Soxx and the Blue jeans,after that phil got tired of the blue jeans and focused on the Ronettes,dad even drove the Ronettes (minus Ronnie who flew with phil)from nyc to la in his 63 chevy station wagon,where all of them stayed at the house on Kenwood!

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059968.jpg

When the photo was taken, in the other direction at 5420 Sunset would have been a department store with the quaint name of Zody's. According to one source, there were as many as 40 in the So Cal ~ Cal area. Check out the list here: http://www.groceteria.com/board/view...t=139&start=45

Great job G_W. I thought I would never know the original purpose of this building. I forgot to look within the cartouche for clues.
___


Great photos of 1727 N. Spring Street 3940dxer/David. I have another building I want to post about in the same area. Is that cool, or should I wait for your photos? Either way is fine by me.

I remember Builders Emporium on Pico and even parking next to the man who was attempting to save the business, Sanford Sigoloff. He was easily recognizable from the news of the day. http://articles.latimes.com/1986-07-...ord-c-sigoloff I remember the Sears-Pico mostly for its extremely old escalators. According to another customer, they were featured in some 30's comedies. (I was never been able to confirm this, but suspect it was possible as so many things were.) The interior geography was "quirky" and probably not conducive to control, In other words, perfect for kids to play hide and seek, or get lost.

Per the linked article, "the viaduct was eventually demolished in the '60s when San Vicente Boulevard was widened." It is a guess the PE ceased to actively use those specific tracks in the mid to late '50s. http://www.uncanny.net/~wetzel/smline.htm

On the subject of Builders Emporiums, I believe they had some stiff competition from National Lumber, although I do not recall ever visiting one or whether they were in that specific area. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Goka26scujk

Since you mentioned the Auto Department, I can't say I remember it specifically, but I do remember the shop on North Wilton and Santa Monica that was affiliated with the Sears on Western. I also remember someone complaining at the top of his lungs concerning his tires and one of the employees suggesting he take his business to "Winston Tires" on Highland Ave and ask for "Sam."
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1203/...1f9ce22989.jpg http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Sears...69&tx=66&ty=79
http://articles.latimes.com/1995-09-..._1_sam-winston
http://www.rapidtransit-press.com/socalmall33.jpghttp://www.google.com/imgres?q=sam+w...r:18,s:27,i:43

For someone who may stumble across this, there was a time when Sears, Montgomery Wards and JC Penneys all had tool/hardware departments and auto centers purveying batteries and tires. In other areas of the country, many (now fondly remembered but long departed) Departments Stores had specific Auto departments a la Pep Boys and Mark C. Bloom (there was one on Beverly Blvd near . . . La Cienega close to the oil derrick.) Evidently, the Broadway Department Store had Auto Centers in Los Angeles, but I am hard pressed to pinpoint specific locations.

http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics33/00066271.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics49/00059228.jpg
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics39/00039260.jpghttp://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/D...Search&index=w

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y17...0Mall/4302.jpghttp://media.photobucket.com/image/j...g?t=1230906385

http://www.rapidtransit-press.com/wilshire1970s.jpghttp://www.rapidtransit-press.com/thebroadway.html

Former Broadway Auto Centers now converted to alternative use:
Downey:
http://www.rapidtransit-press.com/st...2-19-07aan.jpg

Cerritos:
http://www.rapidtransit-press.com/au...1-30-07aan.jpg

Arcadia:too big to post find it here:http://www.rapidtransit-press.com/thebroadway.html

e_r, go ahead, by all means. I'm not quite done photographing and exploring down there but maybe I'll have a worthwhile or two of the same place.

Still working on Monkey Island too BTW, haven't yet confirmed just where it was.

Did the mechanic working on your car wear a strange overcoat and possibly mistake your window issue for a noise coming from the left rear wheel?

Had you bought your car a few decades earlier from Maurice J. Sopp in Huntington Park, say Sept 26, '30, you might have saved $40.00! and been able to appreciate the beautiful architecture. A ++?

Unfortunately, any trade-in offer for your newer ride might have been contingent upon their ability to contact Gene Roddenberry, Rod Serling or Harry Houdini (?)

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics46/00057728.jpg http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics43/00056296.jpghttp://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/F...olNumber=60631

Of course you could have tried out care other than Chevrolet. Heard Graham Ford In Downey has a nice selection, and the Hudson Dealers have a nice waiting rooms (and apparently at least 40 dealers in the LA area - over the years . . . see: http://home.comcast.net/~sarahdyoung...alerships.html

http://home.comcast.net/~sarahdyoung...sAngelesCA.jpg http://www.google.com/ http://home.comcast.net/~sarahdyoung...938_resize.jpghttp://www.google.com/http://www.google.com/

Harbor Hudson, in Wilmington on Anaheim?
http://home.comcast.net/~sarahdyoung...lmingtonCA.jpghttp://www.google.com/

Hudson & Essex in Hollywood, ??5430 Hollywood Blvd?? 1921?
http://home.comcast.net/~sarahdyoung/BoquaCA.jpghttp://www.google.com/

Moore Hudson, Riverside '53
http://home.comcast.net/~sarahdyoung...iversideCA.jpghttp://home.comcast.net/~sarahdyoung...eCA_resize.jpghttp://www.google.com/


http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2370/2...d1df0d32_b.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2241/2...25f7176f_b.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3255/2...0b6dc320_b.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2644/3...91e219fd_o.jpghttp://www.flickr.com/photos

http://imageshack.us/a/img688/7688/1...ringrecent.jpg
google street view

The other building I thought was interesting in the 'not a cornfield' area is just north and across the street from 1727 N. Spring Street
(to refresh your memory 1727 is shown above...and circled in red below). The 'other' bldg. is pinpointed with the red A teardrop.


http://imageshack.us/a/img52/3248/17...d1640nspri.jpg





There is hardly a tree in this whole industrial area except in front of this attractive one story building. When I came across the building it seemed
so different from the other buildings in the area....charming architecture and pleasant shade from the trees.

http://imageshack.us/a/img163/6528/1...streetonns.jpg
google street view







http://imageshack.us/a/img713/6528/1...streetonns.jpg
google street view





below: This view also shows a garage entrance at the southern end of the building.

http://imageshack.us/a/img232/6528/1...streetonns.jpg
google street view

____


I revisited this charming building today (via google) and someone chopped down all the damn trees!!

http://imageshack.us/a/img825/5165/1...gneighbor2.jpg
google street view


I half expected to see Gaylord_Wilshire standing there with a smirk and a chain-saw.



http://imageshack.us/a/img535/8530/1...ighborat16.jpg
google street view




http://imageshack.us/a/img834/8530/1...ighborat16.jpg
google street






http://imageshack.us/a/img341/8530/1...ighborat16.jpg
google street view

___



Looking south on N. Spring Street from Wilhardt Street before the trees were removed.

http://imageshack.us/a/img833/9909/1...ighborwith.jpg
google street view




below: Another view down N. Spring St. from Wilhardt St. minus the trees.

http://imageshack.us/a/img440/9909/1...ighborwith.jpg
google tree view

Obviously the trees were lost when new curbing and sidewalks were recently installed (a good thing)....but I wish
they could have saved this small group of trees.

Am I the only one that liked it better with the trees? (I already know your opinion G_W :))

___

"On the subject of Builders Emporiums, I believe they had some stiff competition from National Lumber, although I do not recall ever visiting one or whether they were in that specific area. "


The competitors in SoCal were Builder's Emporium & Neiman-Reed's Lumber City. The 1st Builders Emporium was in Van Nuys on Sepulveda at Oxnard. The 1st Lumber City was in Van Nuys on Burbank at Fulton near Valley College.

RE: The oil derrick on La Cienega.
My recollection from reading on other websites (mainly about Beverly Park) was that, although the derrick was long gone, it remained a producing well through the mid 70's. It was finally sealed as part of the Beverly Center project. Unfortunately I have been unable to find the site I read this on.

Good info on Beverly Park: https://www.facebook.com/groups/41435512560/

The building was vacated a little more than a year ago, if memory serves. It seems to be undergoing some restoration. Here's how it looked this morning:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-l...1270/BHF-1.jpg
[source: me]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e...1270/BHF-2.jpg
[source: me]

I snuck around the back of the building and stood on tippy toes to point my camera through a partially open window above my head, just to see what the interior looks like.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z...1270/BHF-3.jpg
[source: me]

Regarding the oil derrick at the Beverly Center. I could be dead wrong about this, but I seem to remember the thing being kind of wrapped inside of the parking entrance on the San Vicente side of the Beverly Center. I had the impression that it was still a functioning oil well at the time, but that was almost 30 years ago.

Oops, here's an update to the above. I just found this quote on Wikipedia regarding the oil wells:

"The mall's unusual shape and lack of street frontage along San Vicente Blvd is due to its location on top of the Salt Lake Oil Field. The western portion of the mall property contains a cluster of oil wells, all operated by Plains Exploration & Production, in a drilling enclosure that is active to this date.["

In these aerials you can see how the Beverly Center was designed to accommodate the oil works on it's west side
along San Vicente Boulevard.

http://imageshack.us/a/img838/9122/a...eroilworks.jpg
google aerial





http://imageshack.us/a/img718/8840/a...ycenteroil.jpg
google aerial


___


Handsome_Stranger, thanks for posting your photos of the Beverly Hills Ford building. It was really cool to see the interior.