This circa early 1940s (judging by the sedan delivery (probably a Chevrolet) is from at least 1941) shot looks to me like a scene from a Damon Runyon story. On the wast side of Main St between 6th and 7th in downtown L.A. the Star Loan Office pawn shop (at 641 Main St) was bookended by the 5 and 10 M&S Café and Big Nickel Coffee and Donut. Five cents for a cup of joe and a donut sounds like a pretty good deal to me, however you can’t help but wonder what a dime got you over at the M&S Café.
And a little further up Main St was Dave’s Music Box. I assume the “10 15” sign meant drinks were 10 and 15 cents…?
This is what Main St between 6th and 7th looked like in February 2021.
Address for Money to Loan is 641.
Thanks Al!
I’m imagining an out-of-luck fellow coming out of the Star Loan Office with a one dollar loan on a five dollar suit and facing a decision. He could get a coffee and a donut at the Big Nickel and leave with 95 cents jingling in his pocket or duck into the M&S for (just one!) cocktail and blow it all in one fell swoop.
This looks like a series of photos taken on that same day.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vintage-shots-from-days-gone-by.428585/page-6562#post-13072189