Los Angeles and it's ever changing architecture: THE SUNSET CORNER

THE SUNSET CORNER

THE SUNSET CORNER. For decades, the southwest corner of Sunset Blvd and Crescent Heights was a strip mall with lots of little shops, a bank, and this crazy McDonalds. Late night partying on Sunset would have this drive-thru packed! I lived in Laurel Canyon for 10 years and every weekend I would rent VHS movies at the video shop that was once at the far end. My ex-husband and I even talked about starting our family while in that drive-thru! We had just bought our house and life was simple and good. 

THE FORMER STRIP MALL AND MCDONALDS DRIVE-THRU AT SUNSET BOULEVARD AND CRESCENT HEIGHTS.

When I heard the entire location was coming down I had to start documenting it. In the 1960s, the Lytton Savings Bank was built and my friend, Julius Shulman, photographed it. As it came down in 2021, I photographed it. It’s sad and also interesting that I have photographed several places that Julius did, some of them 70 years later. 

JULIUS SHULMAN 1960s ASHLEY NOELLE 2021

I took a few random videos of the drive-thru. It was so weird to drive into the building. I can only imagine the people that had gone through there. Celebrities in line with soccer moms, local day workers and young people just hanging out. It all happened in this tunnel. I also love photographing menu boards. The prices are always more interesting as time goes by.

Los Angeles is ever changing. The growth of the city has always, it seems, been inspired by the dreamy intoxication of its long boulevards and the notion anything was possible. Even though it was a little sad for me, I watched the whole teardown and clearing of this property. It was kind of awesome to watch crews work. The machine operators are so skilled and the scale of this removal was REAL.

And allll of that is why I included this polaroid in my first collection with Labeled Los Angeles.

I have photographed and filmed lots of small businesses, and some famous places, before they were gone forever.

THE SUNSET CORNER COLLECTION

The point of the Los Angeles series was to document as much of classic Los Angeles as I could. Labeled Los Angeles allows for me to tell the stories behind the work - and make cool streetwear.

Please visit www.LABELEDLOSANGELES.com for more.