History of various Los Angeles drive-in locations

6290 Sunset Blvd SE corner at Vine Street
PIG STAND BBQ / CARPENTER’S / STAN’S

This is where Carpenter’s moved when its first Sunset & Vine stand was to be demolished. Originally though it was a rival drive-in operated by the Pig Stand chain from Texas. Not sure Pig Stand was still in biz when Carpenter’s took over the location in fall 1937. But carpenter’s demolished the building and put a new one built by engineer SB Barnes. They were there until it became a Stan’s, 1951.
•    1931 the Pig Stand BBQ Sandwich restaurant goes up.
•    1937 Sept. Carpenter’s demolishes the existing building, builds a new drive-in opens here.
•    1951 Carpenter’s becomes a Stan’s Drive-in

6407 Sunset Blvd, NE corner at Cahuenga, and 1502 N. Cahuenga, NW corner at Ivar
ROBERTS / SCRIVNER’S

Roberts leased this property in 1939, demolishing an existing building that had been something called the Hollywood Mercantile in the 1890s; since 1917 it had housed the Frank Meline-owned Hollywood Laundry. When Roberts came along, HL moved to the north, taking its roof-sign with it. Between 1952 and Nov 1956 became “Scrivner’s.” And some time in or around 1958 it became a gas station. Jack in the Box now occupies this property. Its Sunset address is 6407.
•    1890s Hollywood Mercantile
•    1917 Hollywood Laundry (owned by Frank Meline) buys this lot.
•    1939 Roberts Bros. lease the corner; builds its drive-in. Hollywood Laundry moves to the north
•    1952 The drive-in becomes Scrivner’s
•    1960 Drive-in is demolished for a service station (per building records)

6760 Sunset Blvd
SIMON’S / STAN’S

One of two Simon’s on Sunset for a few years. Across from Hollywood High School and the Currie’s ice cream. Simon’s was here as of 1938. S.B. Barnes was engineer for the round building. As of December 1951 it became a Stan’s drive in. Since Stan’s took over the Carpenter’s at Vine that same year, there were now 2 Stan’s on Sunset. It was still a drive-in in 1971 when it was demolished.
•    As of 1938 Simon’s Drive-in here
•    1951 Simon’s becomes Stan’s
•    1971 demolished.

7101 Sunset Blvd NW corner at La Brea
MCDONNELL’S / TINY NAYLOR’S

McDonnell’s is here as of 1936 but isn’t listed in their 1940 ad. By 1952 this location had become a Tiny Naylor’s drive in. No pictures (that I know of) showing it as McDonnell’s.
•    As of 1936 Drive-in here
•    1952 Drive in becomes Tiny Naylor’s
•    1980’s Tiny Naylor’s demolished.

8801 Sunset Blvd at Horn
SIMON’S / DOLORES’ / JACK’S ON THE STRIP

This was a Simon’s Drive in as of 1937 at least. In 1945 it was taken over by Amanda & Ralph Stephens, who’d founded the first Dolores in Oklahoma City, OK. Dolores isn’t here as of 1950 and at some point a diner named “Jack’s on the Strip” opened here- no other info about the property until it was demolished for Tower Records.
•    1935-37: About this date Simon’s opens a sandwich stand here
•    1945: Dolores Drive-In opens here by this year
•    195?: Becomes Jack’s on the Strip drive-in
•    1970: demolished for Tower Records

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6 responses to “History of various Los Angeles drive-in locations”

  1. Gary Helsinger says:

    • 1935: Simon’s opens
    • 1945: Dolores Drive-In opens
    • 1952: Jack’s on the Strip drive-in opens (parking lot partially used for Budget Car rental overflow from other side of Horn)
    • 1961: Shoreham Apt unit sales model built in front
    • 1964: Madman Muntz converts Shoreham model unit into his store. Uses old diner behind it for car 4-track stereo installation
    • 1969: Muntz and Diner buildings all demolished
    • 1971: Tower Records opens
    • 2006: Tower files bankruptcy and closes
    • 2007-2012: “Live! On Sunset” clothing & gift retail store.
    • 2016: Colin Hanks repaints store signs and colors for his Tower documentary “All Things Must Pass” premiere after party
    • 2019: Gibson Guitars relinquishes its lease

  2. Robert Terry says:

    Was There a “Stan’s Drive In at Wilshire Blvd and Linden Drive?

  3. Sean Rositano says:

    Hi folks,
    My wife’s grandfather, Clarence Banet, along with his two brothers, opened what they believe was the first barbecue drive-in joint in the area. It was called Banet’s Barbecue, and we believe it was somewhere on Cahuenga Blvd. We have a photo dating from 1923, but it has no surrounding visuals to place it. Anyone ever heard of it? We can’t find any records. The grandfather became ill, shut down and went home to Indiana, but we’re not sure the year…

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