The photographer who took this color photo was standing on Selma Ave and looking west across Vine St in Hollywood to two landmark buildings during the circa mid-1950s: the American Broadcasting Co’s studios, which by then would have been making television programs, and the Santa Fe Railway’s ticket office. But to be honest, the sign that intrigues me the most of the small one on the left: Sachson’s Mens Shop. I assume it was a menswear store, but I’ve never encountered it before. And neither has Google, which isn’t something I get to say very often.
** UPDATE ** – A couple of people on my Facebook page discovered that Milton Sachson’s first store was located inside the CBS Radio Theater (originally the Wilkes Vine St Theater) which Huntington Hartford bought in the summer of 1953. So I’m guessing Sachson subsequently moved down the street to the location we can see in the above photo, which was at 1523 Vine, which he opened on March 31, 1955 according to this Los Angeles Evening Citizen News.
This is roughly how that view looked in August 2022.
This is a great photograph from an angle we don’t get to see much if at all. It’s interesting how modern sensibilities come to mind when viewing an old photograph. For example, when I see the young gentleman at the bottom center, my first thought is he’s looking at his cell phone! I also like the other two young men at bottom left walking in lock step together; perfectly in unison.
You’re right, Martin, when I first looked at the photo I noticed the Sachson’s sign and thought I’ve never seen that before in photos of that location.
Does anyone remember what was on that NW corner of Vine and Selma Ave. just out of view?
No I don’t, but we can see a glimpse of it here:
https://martinturnbull.com/2016/10/14/looking-north-up-vine-st-from-selma-ave-toward-hollywood-blvd/
Looking at aerials 1948 to present & the 1955 Sanborn map, it looks like the northwest corner of Selma & Vine was part of a parking lot that wrapped around the Huntington Hartford Theater (Montalbán Theatre) which is about 120′ north of the intersection.
There were a couple very small structures near the corner, but it’s hard to tell what they were. The 1955 Sanborn map has a note on the smaller one, “Grease Rack”, and the other “Off” (for office I presume). The small one was gone by the 1970s and the office was gone by the 1990s.
That corner stayed a parking lot until about 2015.
The station facilities once there can be found in the film “Crime Wave”.
One still photo looking north from the early ‘50’s, pre-Capitol Records tower, shows this was a Mobilgas location by the signage. The small Curb Charbroiler sat just beyond. The Coffee Shop end of The Brown Derby was operating at this time.
Look closely at the brick column wall left of the Santa Fe doorway. You can only see a blacked-out square. It was a glass enclosed case displaying Warbonnet streamliners running to a tunnel. They were large, around “O” guage or maybe a bit bigger. (Of course, Lionel Trains went with the Santa Fe passenger scheme to introduce their rendition of GM Electro-motive F3 diesel engines back in that era. Matching cars were made too.) Santa Fe was known back then as “Hollywood’s Railroad”. IIRC, “Railroad to the Stars” may have also been used. Not completely accurate, but great advertising stuff. They did go out of their way to cultivate that business.
NW corner of Vine & Selma a food stand with the best hot dogs! A parking lot behind.
Grand sleuthing Martin!
I do not live in LA, so could someone tell me where the ABC building went? Did they move to another site, or out of town? Thanks! Great photo!
Part of it is still there which you can see if you go only Google Maps Streetview.
I think that photo goes with this one that you posted back in August that looks east across Vine at the same corner:
https://martinturnbull.com/2023/08/26/color-photo-of-a-circa-1952-buick-outside-the-rca-victor-building-at-1510-n-vine-st-hollywood-just-north-of-the-nbc-studios-on-sunset-blvd-hollywood-circa-mid-1950s-2/
Same striped canopy and banner in the “front yard” of the RCA Victor building on the southeast corner of Selma & Vine.
Maybe same day and photographer?
Funny you should mention that photo, Jeff. I thought it immediately too.