Back in the day, if you had a 2am craving for candy apples, cornbread, and, cucumbers, you had at least one option: the block-long Hollywood Ranch Market at the corner of Fountain Ave and Vine St in Hollywood. And if you did, this is what it would have looked like as you pulled up, those three life-saving words blazing in neon: We Never Close. On the far right we can also see blade sign for the Art Linkletter Playhouse.
The market is long gone but that site is now home to one of LA’s ubiquitous mini malls. This image is from May 2022.
I have no idea why, but I’ve always thought that the Hollywood Ranch Market was on the other (east) side of Vine Street. So, the Art Linkletter Playhouse is now where AMPAS’s Pickford Center is located!
Mini Malls, all the rage and many constructed in the ’80s, if I’m not mistaken, are slowly being redeveloped into buildings with underground parking. This is happening with anything that has a parking lot in front of or around it. That’s why lots of Coffee Shops are disappearing, too.
When I mention Coffee Shops around younger people now they think I’m referring to places like Coffee Bean or Starbucks, but I’m referring to those Googie style restaurants, of course.
I miss “real” coffee shops and coffee shop food. Sometimes you want something that isn’t cutting edge and trendy. My sister and I had a weird craving for pot roast a few months ago, and it’s too much to make a whole one just for us. We found The Kettle in Mahattan Beach has pot roast on the menu, and it was excellent!
I remember the Hollywood Ranch Market from back in the day. It was fairly iconic.
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I so agree with you, Paula. There used to be dozens around and now there are hardly even any Denny’s around here. One of my personal favorites was Ship’s.
I’ve always been a bit fascinated with the Coffee Dan’s chain…did you ever eat at any of those? Around L.A. there were locations in Santa Monica, downtown L.A., Beverly Hills, two (!) on Hollywood Blvd. between Highland and Cahuenga and one on Vine Street across from NBC. In an old phone book listing there was a phone number listed for one on Hoover (maybe near USC?), but I’ve never been able to track down a photo or other information.
I loved Ship’s! The Shipshape burger was ripped off by Marie Callendar’s for their Frisco burger, though, so I can at least get a reasonable facsimile. And making your own toast at the table was great. No cold toast.
I’ve never eaten at a Coffee Dan’s. Sorry.
Thanks, Paula!
Ranch Market was on the east side. On the west, at the corner was a drug store next to the St. George Apartments building. Just below that was where Competition Motors Volkswagen/Porsche had a showroom dealership at 1219-F where James Dean picked up his new 550 for that final ride north. The group went over to the Ranch Market before the photo was taken of the cars as they were about to depart. (Dean was now out of the long sleeve black shirt he arrived in and was wearing a white one with long sleeves. He was later seen only in a short sleeve undershirt, also white.) Over again on the east side, below the HRM and the Playhouse, the Used Cars lot (and parking) for Competition sat at 1200 N. Vine at the next corner down. Above it was a car wash. Bob Smith VW on N. Cahuenga replaced Competition around 1963. The other known location for CM, at 1730 N. Highland, was reportedly used as a service facility but I’m not finding much on it. It definitely handled VW, but I don’t know if Porsche was worked on there.
Graffiti on sign in front tells me a lot about area.
In1950 at the age of thirteen I sold newspapers on Hollywood and Vine. When finished I usually would treat myself to a burger at Hollywood Ranch Market. I lived off Bronson Ave several blocks away. Second to GOWER GULCH was my favorite hang out. I loved seeing many movie and TV Stars eating and shopping like average neighborhood folks. As the years passed I became a very established teen actor but still enjoyed seeing many Working actors from Stars to character day players doing their shopping or enjoying a sandwich at the counter. I remember Steve Allen’s TV show was filmed in a building down the block. He often would leave the building and do Man On The Street interviews with average folks at the market. When it was torn down, it was like loosing an old friend. Thanks for the memories.
And thanks for stopping by sharing your memories with us, Steve.
I just came across your site and I had to comment. Great job and I look forward to visiting often.
Thanks John. I’m glad you like it!
Mr Trumbull
I want to thank you again on a fine job you are doing ! Keeping history alive is critical today because history in general is no longer being taught on any level in our school systems . Failing to learn from our past dooms us to repeat it. I lived in San Clemente as a young man but would never be able to return today because of the incredible explosion of growth. I noticed a bit of bickering on the comment section. That just means you are making people think for a moment !
Thanks again, John. I’m trying to do my part to keep history alive!