I do enjoy coming across a vintage color photo taken in Los Angeles during yesteryear, and I particularly love this one dated 1964. We’re looking east along Wilshire Blvd from around Hauser Blvd toward a stretch of stores that had something for everyone. From left to right we’ve got Ralph’s groceries, DuPar’s restaurant, Bond clothes, Bank of America, Ontra cafeteria, Silverwood’s (men’s clothing), Mullen & Bluett department store, and The Broadway department store. One-stop shopping all withing a few blocks.
This is roughly the same view in November 2021. All those stores have gone now, but a few of the buildings are still with us.
Looks like signage for an ONTRA Cafeteria down northside past BofA?
Yes! Well spotted, Al. I’ll add it to the list.
Ah, it’s clearly viewed in your Oct. 19 post. And a bunch more to boot. Great stuff!
Today’s photo looks so boring with no character. BLAH!!!
Ralphs is still on Wilshire Blvd. but it has moved to the location formerly occupied by Du-Par at 5601 Wilshire Blvd.
The distinctive green office building at 5455 was the Lee Tower – hence the “LT” at the top. It was quite the landmark in that area until someone decide to paint it black.
https://calisphere.org/item/32623b213a7d4a99cb918c3b6be4bd62/
I’ve noticed that very few, if any, photos of the huge digital clock atop the California Federal Savings & Loan Building on Grand Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard (as first put up in 1960) exist outside of photos published in Signs of the Times magazine in both a July 1960 article and an ad for Sylvania light bulbs (which PAR-38’s – I presume 75 watt – were used on that display) that appeared in at least two issues, in 1961 and 1962. The numerals were in a 7 x 11 grid and doubled over, so that both sides had a total of 760 bulbs, or 380 per side for what under normal size would be 190 bulbs. If any were to turn up to study, I for one – having studied electronic signs for years (as you might’ve guessed from my comments on Trans-Lux Flashcasts above the Taft Building and the Warners’ 7th and Hill theatre) – would be most appreciative.