The scale of much of La Brea is so large it's easy to miss some of the nifty smaller buildings, including the Spainish-Moorish former Swanee Inn at 143 N. La Brea.
It's is almost entirely untouched, even retaining it's small copper dome.
gsv
Bob Lewis' Swanee Inn was a venue for what were then called "Sepia" acts. Nat Cole was booked for a long run in 1937. It was Lewis who suggested Cole form a trio before the run started and it was also Lewis who nicknamed Cole "King". Cole started to sing while at the Swanee, merely to break-up their, until then, exclusively instrumental act. If any building deserves to get a Blue Plaque, this one does.
amalfi
There was mail-order business at the back of the Swanee.
141 N La Brea's entrance is on the alley:
modernmechanix
A boy could learn a lot reading the back pages of
Weird Popular Science.