Save the Derby

October 27, 2005 12:31 PM

The last remaining Brown Derby in Los Angeles has been sold, and is reportedly facing demolition in favor of a condo complex. Will the historical landmark go by the way of the Ambassador Hotel, or will signing the petition help?
posted by Lillitatiana (12 comments total)

Oh crap. I love the Derby!
posted by scody at 12:36 PM on October 27, 2005

out with the old -- in the charmless, faceless, soulless crap.
posted by pmbuko at 1:05 PM on October 27, 2005

What a cryin' shame. Had me some good times in the Derby. Like Los Feliz needs more friggin' condos.
posted by RakDaddy at 1:12 PM on October 27, 2005

the food at louise's has been poor in the last few years . and i don't swing dance .

how about a free standing bar ?
posted by mishaco at 1:49 PM on October 27, 2005

Never been to that one, but there was one by my grandmother's house, and she and I would go there all the time when I was growing up. I'll always have fond memories of the Brown Derby.
posted by dejah420 at 2:02 PM on October 27, 2005

Shit! I loved that place!
posted by Space Kitty at 2:46 PM on October 27, 2005

Incredible. They're tearing down the Derby and insuring that Los Felis Blvd remains a seething, undrivable logjam. Way to destroy the neighborhood, you dinks.
posted by maryh at 2:58 PM on October 27, 2005

the brown derby is one of my few fond childhood memories.

well, not in l.a., of course. then again, the one in my town was shut down years ago and turned into a strip joint or something.
posted by dorian at 4:07 PM on October 27, 2005

hm, on closer inspection I'm guessing that the one I grew up with was just some random place that stole the name and little else. heh. not that it diminishes my past enjoyment of it.

but it was definitely some kind of semi-chain semi-not-really-fancy steak and burger restaurant in the midwest. there may have been a dance floor. there was definitely tastey steak sauce on the burgers.
posted by dorian at 4:14 PM on October 27, 2005

This is so awful. I danced holes into my shoes at the Derby during grad school. Later, when the swing dance revival died down, I would go there and get an earful of local bands. It was one of the few bars where everyone was charming, and you were guaranteed to have a fun conversation, even if you walked in alone. And their drinks were delicious, strong, and reasonably priced.

I'm going to go be sad now.
posted by synapse at 4:19 PM on October 27, 2005

I thought there was only one and it was already demolished. This one doesn't even look derby-shaped. What's the fuss?
posted by Eideteker at 6:06 PM on October 27, 2005

Maybe they'll incorporate some of the architectual elements, like the vaulted ceiling, into the new mixed use retail/condo project.
posted by fourstar at 7:17 PM on October 27, 2005