In this color photo (probably a postcard) we’re looking north up Vine St toward the Hollywood and Vine intersection. The Capitol Records building is open, which means it was taken after 1956. We can also see scaffolding on the northeast corner; it looks like American Airlines were putting in their ticket office. I’ve never been able to nail down the dates the airline maintained its Hollywood-and-Vine location, so if anybody knows, I’d love to hear from you. To its immediate right, we can juuust see the yellow-on-black sign for the Hollywood Blvd location of Schwab’s Pharmacy (Not the famous one.) I also like seeing the red sign for Hody’s restaurant, which occupied the northwest corner from 1955 to 1969.
** UPDATE ** According to this Daily Mirror article: “On August 15, 1954, Chicago investor Louis Glickman purchased six buildings around Los Angeles, including the Equitable, for $13 million. He sold to American Airlines in 1956, which added their own sign on the exterior.” So I think we can place the vintage in 1956.
Bill C. says: “The American Airlines vertical sign went up in 1956 sometime between Spring and Fall.”
The vintage photo was probably taken outside the Broadway-Hollywood department store, which is now home to loft condos. This image is from February 2021.
I know some don’t, but I like the trees on the streets now. I also like that the cars in the 1950s photos are all so colorful.
This photo reminded me, after the deluge of rain we had last week, the neon signs on the Hollywood horizon have taken a hit. For example, some now read:
CAPITO RE ORDS and THE NIC BO KE .
The Simply Patrón neon billboard is now Simply P .