In this atmospheric circa 1940s image, we’re looking northeast across Wilshire Blvd toward the Beverly-Wilshire Art Galleries, which was at 8813 Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills. Unlike the building next door, the gallery made sure that all the lights were on so that people could see what they’ve got for sale. Near the far right, we can see the neon lights of a drive-in restaurant on the northeast corner of Wilshire and Robertson Blvds. In the 1930s, it was called McDonnell’s, but now it looks like it was called Webb’s. However, I can’t find any trace of a Webb’s drive-in online. Does anyone remember it? (BTW, this image is a screenshot of a remastered video taken while driving around LA in the 1940s. It has been colorized with sound added and gives us a pretty good idea of what it was like to cruise around LA back then! You can see it HERE.)

** UPDATE ** Webb’s Drive-in restaurant was at 8767 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills. They also had another location at 420 N. Roxbury Dr, Beverly Hills. Kevin W. says: “Webb’s was at 8767 Wilshire at least as late as 1956.”

This is roughly how that view looked in May 2024.