Carl’s Drive-in restaurant stood at the corner of S. Figueroa and S. Flower Streets which would have been a great location as it was right near both the campus of the University of Southern California and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum. So I’m pretty sure this place would have been hopping all day, every, and every night. When I see photos taken in 1941, as this one was, I can’t help but wonder about the people in them and how they were only months away from seeing their country plunged into war. Enjoy ye burgers while ye may.
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My wife and I met as freshmen students at USC in the fall of 1963. On our first date, we went to a USC football game at the Coliseum. Afterward we stopped to have something to eat at Carl’s. It had been remodeled a bit from the way it appears in this photo. Nonetheless, this brings back good memories.
Wow, thanks for sharing that great memory with us, Gordon. I’d have thought by the 60s it had updated itself, at least a little bit.
Our family used to eat there in the 40s. Its was Carl’s or Little Joes on N. Main.
What was your favorite order there, William?
Is this place connected to Carl Karcher of Carl’s Jr fame?
Don’t quote me on this, Jim, but I don’t think so. I could, of course be wrong, however. (How’s that for hedging my bets…?!)
When I was preschool in late 1940s, I lived in a house across the back parking lot of Carl’s. I could hear dishes clinking from my bed. My dad worked there for a while. Harry the paper man used to grab little bottles of coffee cream to give me. Easy walk to 32nd Street School. Popular shopping area nearby was Vermont & Jefferson with a shortcut through USC. I was born on Jefferson Street. Anybody recall Julie’s restaurant nearby? Foster’s Freeze was a block away. We moved to Lawndale in 1951.
You were close enough to hear the dishes?! I’m guessing you also ate there a lot! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your memories with us!
No the restuarant was not connected to Carl’s Jr. The name Carl’s comes from one of the original owners – Carl B. Anders and A V Spencer. My grandmother started working at Carl’s as a carhop, then become secretary to the owners and finally became the owner. I grew at Carls until my grandma decided not to renew the lease on the property in 1979.
I had my first work experience there with Aunt Faye as a cashier in the front coffee shop area. My dad, her little brother, would help out as one of the bar tenders and mom would help serve. We also helped make so many sandwiches during the USC games. It was definitely a total family tradition. I loved every minute!
No the restuarant was not connected to Carl’s Jr. The name Carl’s comes from one of the original owners – Carl B. Anders and A V Spencer. My grandmother started working at Carl’s as a carhop, then become secretary to the owners and finally became the owner. I grew up at Carls until my grandma decided not to renew the lease on the property in 1979.
Hey Tracey, thanks for stopping by and contributing that interesting information. I’ve long wondered if there was a connection between the Carl’s Drive In and Carl’s Jr.
The story I was told is Carl’s Jr has the Junior in their name because the owner’s of Carls (Mr Spencer) sued. I plan to try and verify this story at some point.
I heard that too. Love you cousin!
IN 1941 CARL HAD $326 AND A DREAM.
Our founder, Carl N. Karcher was born January 16, 1917, in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. He left school in the eighth grade to assist his parents on the family farm.
As a young man, Carl moved from Ohio to Anaheim, California, where he worked 12 hours, six days a week, at his uncle’s feed and seed store. In 1939, Carl was hired as a bread wrapper for Armstrong Bakery in Los Angeles, quickly earning a promotion to a sales and delivery position. Later that year, he married Margaret Heinz – a marriage that endured for more than 66 years and yielded 12 children, 51 grandchildren and 45 great-grandchildren.
On July 17, 1941, Carl and Margaret purchased a hot dog cart for $326 using $15 cash and $311 borrowed on his 1941 Plymouth Super Deluxe. The first day’s sales totalled $14.75. The business grew quickly, and on January 16, 1945, Carl opened Carl’s Drive-In Barbecue in Anaheim, California. The first Carl’s Jr.® restaurants opened in 1956.
Margaret passed away in 2006, and Carl passed in 2008, leaving a legacy that continues to grow around the world.
Hey Patrik, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to give us this background info!
Hi Martin. I love your tales of Hollywood in the olden days.
I have a question for you. Do you have any information on the 6 stool hot dog stand that was located at 6251 Hollywood Boulevard? My parents bought it at the corner of Hollywood and Vine in 1952. The name at the time was Rader’s Hamburgers. It is on the direct west side of the Pantages theater. It has been demolished now and is part of a parking lot.. How sad.
Any photos would be FANTASTIC.
Hi Larry, I don’t have any photos of that hot dog stand but maybe someone reading this might!
Thanks so much for the reply. I do hope one of your readers may have a/some photos of 6251 Hollywood Blvd. in the 1950s.
I mentioned my parents’ hot dog stand was west of the Pantages theater. I neglected to mention that it was also butted up against the east side of the then Equitable Insurance building.
One of my childhood memories was the elevator in the Equitable building, complete with the elevator operator named Esther Onion. She dutifully would pull closed the iron scissor safety barrier before the door would close.
There was also Johnny, the newspaper “boy” at the corner of Hollywood and Vine. His shout was always, “Getcha’ paper heahhh, Times, Examiner, Times, Examiner.”
A shoe shine could also be had from the shoeshine stand attached to the east side of Rader’s Hamburger Stand. It would set you back 25 cents. That was in the day when shoes could be shined, unlike the current day ubiquitous Nike style shoes.
So many memories. But nowadays they can only be rekindled in places like your website and Ralph Story’s, Things That Aren’t Here Anymore.
“Esther Onion” – what a name! I wonder whatever happened to her!
My mother was a car hop at Carl’s after the war, (before I was born). I have a photo of her and and another girl in uniform, dark green pants and pale green blouses. She was an aspiring actress so of course, had a day job.
My mother, Irene Curtis, was a carhop @ Carl’s from 1947 to 1957. She met her 2nd husband, my stepfather, Bill Curtis there in 1950. During the summer I would hang out in Exposition Park while mom worked. I knew a lot of the staff and all of the carhops. They used to let me bus their trays when they brought them back from the cars and give me a small tip (a nickel) for doing it for them. Great fun and memories of one of LA’s most iconic drive-in’s.
Thanks for sharing your memories with us, Lee. It sounds like you had a fun childhood!