Vintage 1950s Lost Buildings
The Brown Derby
formally 3427 Wilshire
Boulevard
Los Angeles
The Brown Derby was the name of a chain of restaurants in Los
Angeles, California. The first and most famous of these was
shaped like a man's derby hat, an iconic image that became synonymous with the Golden Age of
Hollywood. It was opened by Wilson Mizner. The chain was started by Robert H. Cobb and Herbert
K. Somborn (a former husband of film star Gloria Swanson) in the 1920s.
Opened in 1926, this original restaurant is
the most famous due to its distinctive shape. The whimsical architecture was popular at the
time, and the restaurant was designed to catch the eye of passing motorists.
In September 1980, the restaurant closed without warning. Local
preservationists unsuccessfully tried to stop the building from being
bulldozed, but the demolition was completed in November and replaced by a
parking lot.
The parking lot was replaced in late 1985 by
a shopping center known as the Brown Derby Plaza. The domed structure
was incorporated into the third floor of the building, and is currently vacant;
it formerly accommodated a Korean bar.
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