Mimetic architecture—a novelty style in which the designs mimic the purpose or function of the building—was a very popular thing in LA during the first half of the 20^th century. Most of them didn’t last long, mainly because they weren’t built stay the distance. But this gem was around from the late 1920s to at least the late 1950s. It opened in 1927 as a nightclub called the Pumpkin Palace at 3611 Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, although I’m not sure why anybody thought a pumpkin-shaped nightclub was the way to go.

In the early 1930s, it had become the Studio Club:

By 1935, the Pumpkin Palace had reincarnated into a church called the Valley Gospel Center:

By 1938, it was the offices Stan Summeril Real Estate:

In the 1950s the Pumpkin building had become the Magnolia Park Hardware store. (The car parked out front is a 1949 Chrysler.)

And by the late 1950s (this photo is dated 1957) it had become the Pumpkin Inn:

The owners of the Pumpkin Inn went all out in the publicity department!

And naturally, it’s now been replaced by a series of unremarkable stores: