I wish I had a date of this glorious color photo of the original Brown Derby restaurant on Wilshire. At some point the sign on the top changed from “EAT IN THE HAT” to “THE BROWN DERBY” but I don’t know when that was. All we’ve got to go on is what those two women standing out front are wearing. I’d say late 1940s. Anybody want to hazard a guess?
UPDATE: It looks like this photo was taken 1947 or later.
The Brown Derby as seen from a different angle, a little farther east along Wilshire:
Dear Martin – I can’t even estimate how many times I ate at the Derby – mainly the one on Vine St. Owner Bob Cobb was a dear family friend and when my daughter was born (12/19/58) we were living in Hollywood and Bob sent over Christmas dinner to us from the Vine St. Derby – what a dear, sweet man.
Fondly, Louella
Louella – Bob Cobb was a family friend? I can’t begin to imagine what that was like for you!