5 responses to “Hi-Hat restaurant opened at 3827 Wilshire Blvd, early 1930s”

1. gsjansen says:

   July 7, 2014 at 6:04 pm

   when the original Brown Derby had to vacate it’s original location, (Wilshire between Alexandria and Mariposa), to make way for the Olympic village, (which would eventually become Chapman park after the 32 games), The derby opened up temporarily at this location until the relocated original was opened at the corner of Wilshire and Alexandria.

   image is available at the LAPL website – http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009261.jpg

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   • Herbert Somborn says:

     July 8, 2014 at 2:18 pm

     This is incorrect. The Brown Derby at 3927 was a branch of the original and was open from 1931 to ’34, replacing the short-lived Hi-Hat; Perino’s was in the space by 1934. The 3427 BD wasn’t shut until closer to its short move to 3377 several years later. (Per city directories and articles and advertisements [February 29, 1932, for one] in the Los Angeles Times.)

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     • Gary Helsinger says:

       March 22, 2025 at 4:35 am

       Pretty funny using the screen name Herbert Somborn! As you may or may not know, The Hi-Hat was part of the Brown Derby corporation and opened by Somborn before they changed it into a Brown Derby for less than a year. (I’m assuming the same time as the women’s olympic team lived there around the first Derby property at the Chapman Hotel). They opened the Vine Street Brown Derby in 1929, then Beverly Hill also in 1931.. so I’m not sure this location didn’t “work out” as much as they had their hands full when they let this space go to Perino’s.

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2. The original Brown Derby’s original location | says:

   July 8, 2014 at 8:15 pm

   […] (built 1930) at the corner of Wilshire & Gramercy. This Brown Derby replaced the short-lived Hi-Hat (apparently also owned by Herbert Somborn, aka Mr. Gloria Swanson) and only lasted a year or […]

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3. PDQ says:

   January 28, 2016 at 2:25 pm

   The car appears to be a 1930 or ’31 Lincoln dual cowl phaeton. It’s got two windshields – one for the driver and one for the passengers in the rear. Second one will fold down for those who like the wind in their hair and the bugs in their teeth.

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