6th & Broadway Downtown Los Angeles, 1942

1930s, Traffic jam at Broadway and 6th Street in the 1930s.  Thank you to LAPL.

1942, Shoppers crowd Broadway and 6th in Downtown Los Angeles.  The middle of WWII, and look at those coats.  Thank you to LAPL.

1950s, Broadway Avenue, Los Angeles.  Martin Turnbull notes,

What I wouldn’t give for the opportunity to spend an afternoon walking down Broadway in downtown Los Angeles in the late 30s such as what we can see in this photo looking north from 6th St. In this shot alone we can see signs for Le Roy’s, a jewelry company, Kress, a five-and-dime, Swelldom, which sold women’s clothing, and the Los Angeles Theater where the first “Blondie” film is showing. It played in theaters in December 1938 and must have done well for Columbia because 27 more films in the 1950s.  

1964, Los Angeles - 6th and Broadway (1964).  [posted on Sunday, December 22, 2024.]  The Swelldom was a ladies' clothing store with an interesting history.

In 1964, the intersection of 6th and Broadway was a bustling commercial center in downtown Los Angeles. Department stores, theaters, and cafes lined the streets, catering to a mix of shoppers, office workers, and tourists. The sidewalks teemed with pedestrians, while classic cars and buses navigated the busy streets. Broadway’s historic theaters still operated as cultural landmarks, even as the area began to transition with the rise of suburban shopping centers. This intersection reflected the evolving face of downtown LA, where tradition and modernization coexisted.  Thank you to Historical Los Angeles, USA.