If you’re going to open a donut store, you should probably build the biggest donut you can and plonk it onto your roof so that there is mistaking what you’re offering. In this photo we’re looking north up Laurel Canyon Blvd past the Big Donut Drive-in. It stood on the northwest corner of Magnolia Blvd in North Hollywood. I don’t know when it opened, but this photo looks to be circa 1960s. Judging from the bus stop bench out front, I’d estimate that donut to be 20 feet high, which means I’m now on the hunt for a photo of the crane lowering it into place.
Jeff K. said: “’63-’64 Buick Riviera at lower left.”
Paul L. said: “The Big Do-nut Drive-in chain was founded by Russell C Wendell who would go on to found Pup ‘n’ Taco.”
This is roughly how that view looked in August 2022. A bank branch isn’t nearly as exciting as a ginormous donut, is it?
Thanks, Martin. That GIANT doughnut brings back lots of memories for all us folks who live in North Hollywood. I think there’s also a giant doughnut place (or was?) not too far from LAX. Reminds me of the current BIG BOY restaurant in Burbank, site of the famous oldie car shows. They do lots of PR/publicity work there for decades. Yes, that has to be 60s era, especially with that sleek Buick Riviera out front. What a car in its day.
So sad they torn done another icon in your community. I hope Randy’s near LAX does not meet that same fate as yours!!!! I love that place.
More info on the big donuts: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_donuts_of_Southern_California&wprov=rarw1
“Our” Big Donut when I was growing up was on Sepulveda and Washington Place in Culver City.
I used to visit the Big Donut at the northwest intersection of Magnolia and Laurel Canyon Boulevard in North Hollywood in 1961, when I was about nine years of age. At that time, all donuts were $.06 each, or $.65 for a baker’s dozen. I had heard many years later that there was a car crash that demolished the Big Donut and it was never repaired. Now we pay $4.00 to $5.00 for a single donut, and of course, the donut shop has never heard of a baker’s dozen.