I don’t normally post vintage photos as late as 1970, but the Brown Derby is an exception to the rule. This is the original, hat-shaped Derby that stood on the northeast corner of Wilshire Blvd and Alexandria Ave from 1937 to 1980. That’s a 1969 Buick Skylark, so I’m guessing this photo is circa 1970 and had another 10 years before it abruptly closed.]
This image is from December 2020. The Gaylord apartments directly behind the Brown Derby are still there, as well as the buildings on south side of Wilshire. The Derby is gone but the sign out front with the hat logo is still there.
The original Brown Derby restaurant started operation in 1926, not 1937.
Yes, but not at the location pictureD, which is what I was specifically referring to in this post.
Martin–
I enjoy all of your historic photos and commentary. However, what you stated was “…stood on the northeast corner…from 1937 to 1980”. It was located on the northeast corner in 1926.
The very original Derby was first located at 3427 Wilshire, built as you said in 1926. And then, in it was moved half a block east of its original location, to 3377 Wilshire. For a short while, there were actually two hats as seeing in this shot:
https://martinturnbull.com/2017/03/17/two-brown-derby-restaurants-wilshire-blvd-los-angeles-circa-1937-2/
Martin–
Thanks for the history lesson.
The derby still exists, albeit on the 2nd floor and a couple hundred feet to the north. When I ate there years ago, it served as the “roof” of a Philippine restaurant.
And, of course, the original dome of the hat (the 2nd hat building built) was preserved on the top floor of that strip mall. They built new support walls for it (the original was brick) and recreated the cement brim of the hat on the ground, but the round top portion is the original hat. It’s a small room and on one of my visits the door was open so I took photos inside! It’s not currently in use, but I think at one time they used it for a small nightclub.