This was the Merrill store and apartments building that stood at 812 American Ave (now Long Beach Blvd) in Long Beach – the photo was taken in 1936. I’m posting it for two reasons. Firstly, it’s a striking example of Art Deco architecture—look at beautiful detailing. We rarely see that anymore, and it’s great that it appears to have survived the Long Beach earthquake from three years earlier. But secondly, look at the name of the business on the left side: Love Garment Manufacturing Co. Hmmm…it does make me wonder what constituted a “love garment” in 1936. Was this place Long Beach’s answer to Frederick’s of Hollywood?
This is how that building looked in Feb 2022:
Whatever the Love Garments were, the sign in the window tells us that the company that made them supported President Roosevelt’s National Recovery Act (NRA).
Yes, I noticed that, too.
American Avenue is now Long Beach Blvd.
The Merrill Bldg today:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/812+Long+Beach+Blvd,+Long+Beach,+CA+90813/@33.7768043,-118.1892906,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80dd3146db320cf7:0xfade1302e22f8326
Not TOO bad.
Perhaps the company was owned by someone whose last name was Love.
That would make sense, wouldn’t it?