Someone just sent me this photo of the original Brown Derby, telling me it was the original derby on the site of the Chapman Hotel. I’d never heard that the original Brown Derby had moved so I asked him about it. Turns out, the original Brown Derby (the one that actually looked like a brown derby hat) was built on the site that later became the Chapman Hotel (https://www.martinturnbull.com/?p=4788) It had to vacate its location on Wilshire between Alexandria and Mariposa when the land was requisitioned for the women’s village for the 1932 L.A. Olympic Games. So it moved farther down Wilshire to 3927 Wilshire (photo: http://bit.ly/1thC7Fg) Then, later, it was rebuilt at its famous location at Wilshire and Alexandria next to the Gaylord.

Here is a recap:

• In 1926, the Brown Derby in the above shot opened, facing due south at 3427 Wilshire between Mariposa & Alexandria.

• In 1931, a Brown Derby branch opened at 3927 Wilshire, as seen in the shot below, in the Bilicke Building (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 so.

• In 1934, that restaurant became the first Perino’s.

• In 1937, the hat-shaped Brown Derby opened half a block east of its original location, to 3377 Wilshire, oriented to the northeast corner of Alexandria.