Yesterday I posted a 1922 photo of the intersection of Franklin and Bronson Avenues in Hollywood. Purely by chance, a couple of hours later, I came across this photo. It’s the same intersection, but in this one, we’re standing under the copse of trees on the southwest corner and looking at the line of stores along Franklin stretching from Bronson to Canyon Drive. As with the earlier photo, I get the impression this was a quiet, gentle corner of Hollywood, away from the bustle of Hollywood Blvd, but with the convenience of having access to the streetcar along Franklin.
This is how that intersection looked in August 2022. The block is still commercial, but those six stores from 1930 have been replaced by a Gelson’s supermarket.
Originally, an extension of the Franklin line ran up Bronson providing some passenger service with a freight only extra stretch about a mile beyond to reach the rock quarry at Brush Canyon. The service terminated around 1918. While the drug store on the opposite corner was the called Franklin Avenue Pharmacy, the one next to the bakery appears to be Ace Drug Store, from what can be read on the awning. Here was located a soda counter along the east wall which can be seen in an episode of Highway Patrol where Academy Award winning lead actor Broderick Crawford (starring as Lt. Dan Matthews, aka “Chief”) enters the premises. Activity across the street seen through the front window is the subject matter…a small ancient gas station sat over on that side into the early ’60’s. (The operator at that point, father of a friend, went on to take over the infamous Richfield down at Van Ness and Hollywood (rebuilt at the time). I believe the supermarket replacing these buildings was something like a Mayfair or Market Basket..whichever one carried the collection of plastic president figures. Ralph’s had been down on Hollywood just west of the A&P, but moved out to Western & Franklin to replace the new store that opened there. [The site of the early Fox studio.] The old Ralph’s became the new Pier 1 Imports store (the expansion out of the Bay Area). My only question is what the heck is a Gelson’s? Sounds like a wrestling move..put you in a half-Gelson everytime you try to check out?
Turns out it was a Mayfair. Moondoggie’s blogspot covered it under the heading “A Very Brady Supermarket”…they filmed a scene there. It’s also mentioned elsewhere and a few images exist.
Found an Ace Drug Store at the SW corner of Western & Santa Monica (as a Rexall dealer), so feel more confident that this is what is on that awning.
Bronsonia Pharmacy at 5889 Franklin Avenue can be seen in Highway Patrol from a 1959 episode. Was listed in a 1947 directory. NoorishLA has a posting about it. Mentions a book (two volumes) on shooting locations.
I remember this drug store before it was torn down. I played handball on the back of it. 1962-65. We lived at 1925 N.Bronson Ave. across the street. That apt bldg was torn down too mid 1960’s.
Dear Martin, I’m pretty sure that this vintage FOTO is actually one block west of gelson’s. And the drugstore on the left was replaced with the Villa Carlotta. I know that in 1915 there was a white house on the Gelson’s site, and though it MAY have been razed by 1920, I kind of doubt it. Also, the intersection just LOOKS like Tamarind/Franklin. Of course I may be wrong. Cheers!
Someone else mentioned to me that they thought so, too. The info in the title is what the photo’s caption said, but I guess that doesn’t mean it’s 100% accurate.