I was going through some old family photos, and came across the picture below. I figured I might add it here to see if anyone knows anything about the business or its location. I’m new to the forum, so I’m still learning the rules about posting - if my picture doesn’t belong in this thread please let me know!
This restaurant was apparently owned by my great-grandmother.
I do not know her first name, but Her name was Emma and our family name is Diltz. It was called the
Auto Wheel Cafe, and she supposedly bought it some time in the 1920s.
There are six people in the photo, only four of which can be seen clearly. From left to right, my father’s cousin Bert, in the striped shirt; my uncle Jack, holding the dog; my grandpa Charlie, seated; and my father, Douglas, with his hands in his pocket.
Written on the back of the photo are the words “Alameda, CA” - but those words have been crossed out, and next to it has been written “Thousand Oaks, CA”. I’m not sure if either is correct, but my grandfather was a movie director and Bert’s dad was an actor and stuntman,
so I’d assume the cafe must not have been too far away from Hollywood and the studios. I think my dad *may* have once told me it was in Woodland Hills or Tarzana. The Auto Wheel Cafe was in Thousand Oaks.
The back of the photo also says “1946”. I’m virtually certain that this is incorrect. Both my father and my uncle Jack served in WWII, and they look like kids in this photo. If I had to guess, I would say the photo is from around 1934-1937. Maybe someone here can recognize the year of the car in the photo?
I know it’s a crazy long-shot, but does the Auto Wheel Cafe ring any bells with anybody here?
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NOTE: I have edited the post above thanks to information provided by Lorendoc several posts down.