{"product_id":"simons-restaurants-drive-ins-los-angeles-1940s","title":"Simon's Restaurants \u0026 Drive-Ins, Los Angeles 1940s","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis marvelous ‘Los Angeles fun map’ was created for paper placemats at Simon’s restaurants and drive-ins in the 1940s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe illustration shows Hollywood and TV studios and many landmarks in the greater Los Angeles area including Grauman’s Chinese Theater, Griffith Park Observatory, the Santa Anita Racecourse and the Rose Bowl.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaper mats helped speed up table clean-ups for busy waitstaff and were discarded between each guest. However, this map was so popular that clean copies were offered free of charge to diners.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimon’s restaurants and drive-ins were founded by brothers William and Albert Simon in partnership with their brother Mike Lyman, who had changed his surname when he was a vaudeville performer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaunched in 1935, the chain grew to nearly 27 locations and became prominent fixtures in Los Angeles’ car culture. The most notable Simon’s was on the northwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, the site of the current Johnie’s Coffee Shop. Another was on the southeast corner of Sunset and Highland in Hollywood. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned primarily by Wayne McAllister (1907 to 2000), the leader in Googie-style architecture who also created Bob’s Big Boys, many of Simon’s locations were in circular Streamline Moderne style featuring neon lined roofs, large glass walls looking onto circular counters and massive backlit pylons. There was both table service and carhop service.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso on this map are Al Levy’s Tavern and Al Levy’s Grill. Born in Blackpool, England, Al Levy came to the US as a young man and was famous for inventing the oyster cocktail in 1894, which he first sold from an oyster cart. He opened Al Levy's Grill at 617 S. Spring Street in 1924. He followed this up in 1930 by opening Al Levy's Tavern at 1623 N. Vine Street in Hollywood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Hollywood location catered largely to the motion picture industry and was lavishly decorated and was designed to look like an English inn. At its grand opening, it was lit up at night by klieg lights. It was considered one of the ‘Big Three’ celebrity haunts alongside the Brown Derby and Sardi’s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Tavern’s chief bartender Jack Marsh was described in Movie Classic magazine in 1937 as ‘the mixologist whose advice is sought by celebrities when their own cocktails taste like hair tonic…’\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollowing Al Levy's death in 1941, the Vine Street space was taken over and renovated by the Simon\/Lyman restaurant group and became the new Mike Lyman’ s Grill.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother location on this map is the polo field that belonged to the Uplifters Club. Established in 1909, the exclusive men-only club’s stated purpose was to ‘uplift art, promote good fellowship and build a closer acquaintance’ among its members.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMembers were known for their flamboyant annual gatherings and amateur theatrical performances dubbed High Jinx in which – as stag-only – some members wore wigs and dresses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the 1920s the members acquired a secluded 120-acre enclave in Rustic Canyon in Pacific Palisades on the border with Santa Monica and built cabins and a clubhouse with a polo field and other amenities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotable members included Will Rogers, Walt Disney, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable and Daryl Zanuck. The club continued in existence until 1947.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Simon\/Lyman restaurant portfolio also gradually closed its doors, with the last locations operating into the late 1960s and early1970s. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGallery quality Giclée print on natural white, matte, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using Epson Ultrachrome HD archival inks. Custom printed with border for matting and framing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb style=\"line-height: 1.2;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAll printed in USA.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Vintage Menu Art","offers":[{"title":"8.5x11\" Archival Print (Unframed) $25.00","offer_id":45897736355942,"sku":"8.5x11\"","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"11x14 Archival Print (Unframed) $30.00","offer_id":45897736388710,"sku":"11x14 U","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"13x19 Archival Print (Unframed) $40.00","offer_id":45897736421478,"sku":"13x19 U","price":40.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x20 Archival Print (Unframed) $55.00","offer_id":45897736454246,"sku":"16x20 U","price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x24 Archival Print (Unframed) $85.00","offer_id":45897736487014,"sku":"20x24 U","price":85.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36 Archival Print (Unframed) $135.00","offer_id":45897736519782,"sku":"24x36 U","price":135.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0131\/3352\/files\/simons-restaurants-drive-ins-los-angeles-1940s-posters-prints-visual-artwork-779.webp?v=1783099927","url":"https:\/\/vintagemenuart.com\/products\/simons-restaurants-drive-ins-los-angeles-1940s","provider":"Vintage Menu Art","version":"1.0","type":"link"}