I love this atmospheric night shot of Du-par’s Restaurant. Part of the Du-par’s chain of diners, it stood at 12036 Ventura Blvd, Studio City in the San Fernando Valley near what was then known as Republic Studios (now the Radford Studio Center.) I don’t know when this shot was taken, but the restaurant opened in 1948, so I’m guessing not long after that. With its inky night sky and ‘40s cars parked on the side, it could be a shot from some film noir crime drama.
David G. says: “Less known is that it was built in front of a 1930s motel/studio apartment cluster interspersed with pepper trees. That was there until the adjoining lot and restaurant just to the east (The Tahitian, at 12010 Ventura) were all demolished around 1980 to build the strip mall that is there now.”
After 70 years, this Du-par’s closed on January 1, 2018. It is now a Sephora’s makeup store. This image is from February 2023.
I have been there many times and the last time was just before it closed and was torn down. I remember the restrooms were upstairs in the second story. The interior was beautiful. Very sad to see it go. Great food and memories of how great restaurants use to be. Another true historic Los Angeles landmark gone forever.
Isn’t the Sephora still the same building? I don’t think it was torn down, just radically changed in appearance.
Yes, Ken. As I recall it was a (extensive) refurbishment.
I ate in that Du-par’s Restaurant the very first day I arrived in Los Angeles…and many times after that! As I sat in the booth I turned and on the wall was a painting of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. After so many hours of traveling to and pondering Los Angeles on the way here, it seemed such an incongruous thing that it confused and bemused me. Does anyone remember the Paper Moon Graphics cards of the ’70s and ’80s? I loved their line of cards and collected and sent out so many. Some few years after that first visit to Du-par’s I was in a store looking at those cards and what did I see? A card of the Eiffel Tower with palm trees in front of it swaying in the breeze. A perfect encapsulation of that moment in Du-par’s on my very first day in L.A.!
Sad to see Du-Pars closed there. I spent many enjoyable Sunday mornings shopping at the Farmer’s Market across the street on Ventura Place,
then pancakes and coffee at Du-Pars.
Went there on its last night. Sorry to lose another landmark and legend.