If you stood at the corner of Wilshire and Hauser Boulevards and looked east as this photographer did, you’d see one clothing store after the other: Coulter’s, Mullen & Bluett’s, Silverwoods, and Myer Siegel. And on the other side of the street there was a building that housed stores selling books, dance wear, violins, and beauty salon, and something called “Doctor Doolittle’s Shop” — what they sold is anyone’s guess. (UPDATE: see photo below) Judging from the white-and-red Chevrolet, green Ford wagon, and blue Studebaker, the most likely year for this shot is 1953.
The same view in April 2019 – I like how there’s a lot more greenery to soften the urban cityscape:
Doctor Doolittle’s Shop, 5672 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles City Director, 1951
This brings back memories! In the 1950s and 60s, Thursday evening was the night that the stores along the Miracle Mile would be open (Hollywood stores stayed open on Friday evenings), otherwise they would close at 5:00pm. My parents visited these stores on a Thursday evening and I recall them shopping at Mullen & Bluett, Silverwoods and also Phelps-Terkel, an up-scale men’s store just a bit east of M&B. Not so much Coulter’s.
J
Thanks for sharing your memories with us, Jim. I’ve not encountered Phelps-Terkel before so I’ll keep an eye out for it.
Love that blue Stude, but it’s a sedan, my blue Stude was a Commander I bought in ’55. My grandmother had one just like this , but tan.
Every time I see street photos like this from the era, there will invariably be one or more Studebakers. As seemingly popular as they were, how did Studebaker ever go out of business?
I guess that’s an answer for automobile historians, Gordon.
The 1956 City Directory shows a “Doctor Dolittle’s Shop” @ 5674 Wilshire Blvd. A purveyor of theatrical wear.
https://i.imgur.com/3jc9Zbx.png
Ah! So that explains the dance wear sign. I did a search of the LA City Directories but the dancing doctor Doolittle didn’t come up. So I’m glad you found it.