One of the things from L.A.’s yesteryear that I wish I’d experienced is Wil Wright’s ice cream. From what I’ve been told, it was the richest, creamiest, yummiest ice cream in town. They had locations all over Los Angeles. This was stood at the southeast corner of S. Beverly Drive and Charleville Blvd in Beverly Hills. This shot is from 1954 and what strikes me is how clean and fresh this block looks. Maybe it had just been built, but looks so crisp and tidy. And those two mail boxes on the curb reminds me how rarely I see any of those these days. (My thanks to David Ginsburg for sending me this photographic gem.)
Harrison E says: “This, and it’s 3 corner mates, was built in about 1941 by retired silent movie star, Corinne Griffith. They are known as the Four Corners buildings.”
Neil B says: ” There is much history here. Indeed long before the more well known but definitely inferior makes of ice cream Will Wright’s was the king. Not Baskin and Robbin’s, not Hagen Das and certainly not the most commerical B&J’s could match the quality and taste of Will Wright’s. But it was not only the Ice Cream it was a true Ice Cream Parlour Experience. Something that no longer exists.
“Griffith also spoke in support of women seeking their own financial autonomy: “I got my money without the help of any man. Women wise enough to earn their own money will get a broader understanding of life, a new respect from their husbands and a bank account which they can use without resorting to the old tricks that sicken every wife at heart” She died 1979 leaving an estate of over 150 million dollars making her one of the richest women in America at the time.”
Where is the Wil Wright’s menu:
This is how that same building looked in May 2019. It’s nice to be able to say that not much has changed. In fact, with that tree out front, it might look even nicer.
They had a store in Newport Beach on Coast Hwy and Dover Drive. I don’t recall ever stopping there though as a kid. It was difficult to access and parking was sparse. Sav-on Drugs had a nearby store in Westcliff Plaza with easy access, plenty of parking and an ice cream counter.
Sorry to see the elegant old street sign has disappeared. But otherwise this is still a fine looking block.
Hanging onto that lovely streetlight would have been nice, but all things considered, this block has survived the years pretty well.
I think the appearance of the building is improved if anything. Nice to see it still exists and wasn’t torn down and replace with something uglier. Wil Wrights did have locations all over LA. We used to go to one in the Creshaw Shopping Center when I was an undergrad at USC in the 1960’s. And yes, the ice cream was delicious. I liked the butterscotch sundae.
Just missed this fabled LA chain with seriously perceptive r/e locations. Also love this quality low-rise building style. BH & Westwood pockets still found. Anyone else notice no bolts or quake plates maring brick façade? Seen serpentine open-work brick fences in this area; vanished top quality –
Twenty + year’s ago, interviewed in this space for a job with… Raquel Welch … (Cool house backyard; flat lawn with “Greek temple” guesthouse.) If allowed to post, revelant pics:
https://oldlarestaurants.com/wil-wrights/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/164553645@N05/47074903174
Very strange, just looked at MM pic. Been to photographer Andrè de Dienes’s house on Woodrow Wilson in Hollywood Hills! Deathbed marriage (literally) widow buried negatives of MM in house backyard!
Wil Wright’s was a wonderful, fun place for good tasty ice cream. The Wil Wright’s in Westwood Village was the one I went to the most.
What I noticed missing from the 1954 photo is the white steeple on top, that’s in the 2019 one.
I loved Wil Wright’s. I loved all their ice creams, but as Gordon mentioned above, their butterscotch sundae was the BEST…because it was real butterscotch. I’d order it with their Dutch chocolate ice cream. And the almonds on top! And the little macaroon in the waxed paper envelope. I miss them so much! We mostly went to the one in Westwood in La Ronda de las Estrellas. Very atmospheric. I’ve been to the pictured one in Beverly Hills, and I’ve been to the Pacific Palisades one, but not to any others.
Once when we were at the Westwood one, my sister order a marshmallow sundae with vanilla ice cream. She ordered the simple sundae (which didn’t come with whipped cream or the almonds), but the guy making the sundaes put one almond on top of this white dome, so you can imagine what it looked like. We were all laughing like crazy, but the waitress seemed a little prudish and put-off. I hope the ice cream guy didn’t get into trouble.
Did I say that I miss them a LOT?
One more story: the brother of a friend of mine in high school was working at Wil Wright’s, and when he’d leave at night, he’d put a bunch of the lollipops and peppermint sticks in his pockets. One night he was stopped by the cops (probably because he looked like one of those long-haired hippy types). Because of his bulging pockets, the cop ordered him to empty the pockets hoping to find something to pin on him. He said the cop got really upset as he kept pulling peppermint sticks and lollipops out of his pockets!
So many memories for me.
Lucky you that you got to go to Wil Wrights. When they finally invent a time machine, visiting a Wil Wrights is on my (very long) list of places to visit.
Yeah, I’m OLD. 🙂
I remember the one in Newport! My uncle had a place right by the store and we would go in there often. I remember always getting a macaroon with the hot fudge sundaes!
Everybody remembers those macaroons!
And the little waxed paper envelope with the Wil Wright angel on it!
I remember Wil Wright’s being in the finer markets like Jurgensen’s . We’d get a few pints to take home!!
OK! !!! ALINA
OK Alina! !!!!!!!!
I can’t believe I made the most comments of any posts on this one. Well, maybe I can believe it. 😉
I had to come back to mention that I was cleaning out old junk and was sorting through a small box of greeting cards, art postcards, etc., and I found one of the macaroon envelopes I’ve mentioned about 20 times above. I’m going to frame it. It’s gotta be at least 40 years old now, maybe 50.
I can’t believe you saved one of those, let alone for all these years!
Yeah, it’s a bit yellowed with age, but it’s in pretty good shape! Brings back all those good memories.
We used to go to the WillWrights ice cream parlor at Newport Beach. I will always remember the little macaroons that they would put on the sundaes.
Those macaroons sure were popular!
I worked at the Beverly Hills store in the 60s. I also have one of the small marble top tables and 2 wrought iron chairs which I’m restoring. I have made the Nesselrode ice cream from a menu I found on line and it really seemed like the real deal. LOTS of work too.
I went to the BH one a few times (Westwood Village was my “home” Wil Wright’s). In my memory, it was a fairly small shop. I’d LOVE to have one of their tables! — Jealous
There was no other ice cream salon to match Will Wright’s. Their ice creams had a buttercream content which rose to the arc of your palette and as a tongue scooped it out, flavor permeated your entire mouth. It was heavenly and that, dear friends, was their ‘slogan’: “It’s Heavenly!” My sister scooped ice cream there, my step father and I ate burnt almond sundaes with chocolate whipped cream on top after we’d gone to the opera, my friends, especially Carol and I visited their old fashioned candy shop on Charleville, and for $.05 up to $.10 and $.15, you could buy root-beer barrel candies,snow balls with hazel-nut centers, crispy miniature ice cream cones of sugary-covered whipped meringue, pretend ice cream cone scoops and so much more. Will Wright’s WAS “Heavenly”.
Thanks for that wander down Memory Lane. Aaaaaaand now I’ve got a hankering for an icecream I’ve never even tried!
I remember Wil Wright’s being in the finer markets like Jurgensen’s . We’d get a few pints to take home!!
Lucky you, John! I hear it was wonderful ice cream.