Vintage Photo Friday

Citizen's National Bank aka Crocker Bank, 1930.  LAPL Photo Archive

1930. 453 So. Spring St., LA.  LAPL Photo Archive

Today we visited The Last Bookstore.  It's located in the old Crocker Bank building on Spring Street and 5th, downtown L.A.  Originally called Citizen's National Bank, this nationally registered historic building was built in 1914 and designed by John Parkinson.

Today, the exterior of the building looks almost exactly the same as it did in the early part of the 20th Century.  The inside of the building is another story!  The interior has been gutted.  It's one huge bookstore with various rooms along the exterior walls.  There are separate book sections in the vaults.  On the mezzanine there are many artists studios and smaller shops, including Gather, a Yarn Shop.

Former Crocker Bank, 2013

View from the Mezzanine of The Last Book Store Interior

Many of the architectural details of this historic building are intact

Original tile floor, interior, The Last Bookstore.  Notice the decorative swastika design-work!

It was a balmy afternoon in downtown L.A. today.  Not too much traffic between the holidays.  We were able to find a spot on the street to park.  After book, record and yarn shopping, we walked over to the Nickel Diner for a delicious lunch!  Happy New Year, my friends.