Quote:
Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire
The first post on the Brown Derby was back in 2009, and there have been dozens since. The gist of it is, the BD in your shot opened, facing due south at 3427 Wilshire between Mariposa & Alexandria, in 1926; in 1931 a branch opened at 3927, as seen in your second shot, in the 1930 Bilicke Building (on the site of the Harrington house at 646 S. Gramercy). This BD replaced the short-lived Hi-Hat (apparently also owned by Herbert Somborn, aka Mr. Gloria Swanson) and only lasted a year or so itself. The 3927 branch may not have lasted long, but was too early to have been any kind of "temporary" location during the move of the BD hat. Enlarged into the bookstore space to the west, 3927 became the first Perino's in 1934. The hat-shaped Derby moved half a block east to 3377, oriented to the northeast corner of Alexandria, in 1937.
An ad shows the 3427 and 3927 BDs operating at the same time:
 LAT Feb 29, 1932
 USCDL
A pretty Lincoln in front of the short-lived Hi-Hat... |
I have to admit, I always thought that the Derby had to vacate it's original location 3427 Wilshire between Alexandria and Mariposa, due to the construction of the women's Olympic village on the site of the future Chapman Park Hotel, and thus was the reason for the BD opening up at the Gramercy Place location 3927 Wilshire.
However, this photograph dated 1932, (which I had never seen before), clearly shows what seems to be elements which are to become part of the Chapman Park hotel villas.
So, if the BD shared the site with the women's Olympic village, why on earth did it relocate to the ne corner of Wilshire and Alexandria?
a photo I previously posted showing the BD at it's new location of Alexandria and Wilshire with the construction of the Chapman Park Hotel beyond at the Derby's original location.
