I do enjoy seeing a prime Googie-style Los Angeles diner, and this one certainly is that. In 1958, the Wich Stand drive-in/restaurant opened at 4508 W. Slauson Ave in the Windsor Hills area of Los Angeles, around halfway between downtown LA and LA International Airport. I don’t know how tall that spike is (20 feet?) but I’m sure it was an instant local landmark, especially at night when it lit up. According to wichstand.com, the place was a the-boys-meet-the-girls “hot rodders’ paradise” which doesn’t surprise me in the least.
Here is another photo of The Wich Stand” also circa late 1950s:
Andie P. says: “That spike was near 30 feet.”
The Wich Stand’s menu:
Much to my surprise/delight the building is still there, complete with its eye-catching spike. It appears to now be a health food restaurant called Simply Wholesome. This image is from June 2017.
My hangout in the 50s. I’d go there in my 40 Ford looking for drags.
I assume “looking for drags” means “looking for someone to drag race with” and not “looking for drag queens”?!??!
Or cigarettes?
I can remember driving by it when I was younger, but I never ate there.
Wow! Quite a menu. Too bad we still do not have those prices now. Thanks for sharing, Martin!
Was a regular customer in the 60’s. Good breakfast and I was fond of the chicken dinner. Lived in a duplex just down the hill before you got to the original FEDCO.
Behind the Witch Stand and up the hill was an alley that served several homes. A scene in Rebel Without a Cause was filmed there. James Dean is bringing Sal Mineo back to his house in his Mercury sedan. Mineo gets out and opens a gate to the back of his house. The scene takes place in the alley. I was a student at Dorsey High School and we watch them do the scene.
Linda Roepke Cebulski
A wonderful cruising place to capture a complete era of Los Angeles..
Always full of kids looking to contact and show of their trophy cars
and style. It was the capital of fun, excitement and rebel rousers.
Good food and lot’s of action. A place to escape reality. I was
proud to be a regular. A era gone by.
I was a carhop at The Wich Stand in1970. I was fourteen years old but passed for eighteen. I don’t know how I got hired when I couldn’t even count change! I messed up so many food orders too. But I met so many interesting people there.
I guess you must have been a charmer!