Here’s what I want to know: Who the hell is responsible for this boring as mud makeover of the Brown Derby restaurant at 1628 Vine St? After opening in 1929, it changed here and there over the years. But it was always interesting to look at, with all sort of nooks, crannies, doorways, and signs. But then someone decided to take all that away and replace it with plain, boring, beige walls. (This photo is circa 1963.) <sigh> At least they kept the Brown Derby sign on top of the building.
Here are some images of the Vine St Brown Derby menu circa 1963:
By way of comparison, this is how it looked in 1948:
How disappointing, guess I must’ve lost touch growing up but as I remember the in the late 40s the Brown Derby restaurant actually in the shape of a dark brown derby. Would have been a great landmark these days.
You’re thinking of the original Brown Derby on Wilshire Blvd. It was shaped like a hat.
Oh, one more thing, in the lower right hand corner the WESTERN AIRLINES sign, my old Company for many years. Cheers!
Even those three white globes, along with the metal protuberances to which they’re attached, are less than fetching.
Yes, but they’re the most interesting feature, which is a sad state of affairs.