The Wilshire Bowl nightclub at 5665 Wilshire Boulevard was helped made popular with people in the film industry by popular bandleader Phil Harris. I’ve posted about this place before but this is a better photo of it. It went on to have quite a history. In 1942 it became “The Louisana” but that only lasted a year. In 1943, Slapsy Maxie’s—which had been at 7165 Beverly Boulevard and was named for fighter and sometime bit part actor, Maxie Rosenbloom—moved into the building. Some time around the mid-to-late-1940s, it acquired Mickey Cohen as a backer. Then, in 1950, Van De Kamp’s took over the lease and turned it into their Wilshire coffee shop.
In cleaning out my husband’s things, I found a tie that caught my attention because of its pattern and colors. On closer look, I see that, included in its pattern are what looks like a framed poster or picture in charcoal of a lovely building with a dome and the words Wilshir Bowl 5665. I assume that is reference to the former Wilshire Bowl nightclub of 5665 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. There are also bowling pens and a bowler, colors are a dark red/maroon background, dark blue-gray, creamy white and black. A tag says it is Myung Ju silk, another says “hand made MERCEDES high fashion.”
I’m wondering if there’s anyone interested in it as an artifact of the old nightclub?
Hi Lynn, and thanks for your note. I don’t know off-hand anyone who is specifically interested (apart from the collectors who trawl Ebay) so I’ll post your comment here and we’ll see if we get any takes.