When I found this circa 1937 shot of the Creswell Drug Store, 8801 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills, I hoped that the Spanish Colonial Revival style building with the gorgeous cupola atop its turret had survived the wrecking ball, but alas no. In its place today stands a sleek, white, minimalist building with expansive windows that I’m sure ideally serves the purposes of its tenant, Steinway Pianos, but I think the Los Angeles cityscape is poorer for its loss. I’m very glad that someone thought to preserve its memory with this snapshot.

Gordon P said: “Mission Pak put together fruit packs that you could have sent to friends and relatives during the Holiday Season, especially those living in snowy parts of the country.  They advertised on the radio and television during my childhood in the 1950’s, but he company existed long before that. I am not sure when they went out of business.” Mission Pak was founded by George C Page who later gave Los Angeles the George C Page museum at the La Brea Tar Pits.

The same shot in March 2019: