Model Drive In-Cleaners, 12th and Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach.
Golden State Memories: Vintage Roadside Photos Of Southern California – 1970s
– Posted on October 13, 2025
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American Brands: GM 
American Brands: Ford 
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Automotive Histories and Misc. 
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Cars Of A Lifetime & Auto-Biography 
Buses 
Trucks, Pickups and Vans 
Design 
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Engines, Transmissions and other Tech 
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And here’s a genuine Helms Bakery deliveryl Truck. As I recall they didn’t have a drivers seat (called a Stand-up model). Used for home delivery. I spotted it at a junkyard in North Hollywood, Calif. Responding to the Helms Bakery photo.
Those Helms delivery trucks were first-gen Divcos, and I believe they kept producing them for Helms even after introducing their streamlined models in 1937. The Petersen in LA has one in its collection, but I’m not sure if it’s on display right now.
That’s my Dads Divco. First vehicle I ever drove.
Southern California in the 60s and 70s I miss except for the smog in the 60s. The Buick dealer, in Santa Monica, at the end of the boulevard right at the beach. Even better for me, being a San Diego boy, the Campus Theater on College Avenue just past El Cajon. That is just down the street from SDSU, and I lived up the other side just across Interstate 8, up on the hill called Del Cerro. The movie makes it around December 1978 and now long gone. Great neon signage.
The address for Cummings Buick was 1501 Santa Monica Blvd not 15. It was not adjacent to Ocean Avenue. The building today is home to Lexus of Santa Monica.
https://calisphere.org/item/db1a4468b03d2aa016362a85949fa6f7/
Thanks for the correction, I’ve amended the caption.
While I was never at that Buick dealer, I’m 11, I did know how Santa Monica Blvd is numbered.
Interesting landmarks. I drive past the Helms Bread building several times per week and some of these look familiar even if they are now replaced with yet another Starbucks.
But the most fun to see was the Martin Cadillac dealership on the corner of Bundy in Santa Monica. Not sure back then, but when I purchased my Buick Encore there in 2018, it was a GMC, Buick and Cadillac store. Now today it’s been torn down and replaced with shops on main floor and apartments above.
Would anyone today, in this age of sophisticated advertising psychology, still place the “Pepperdine” lettering (image #9) in descending order instead of ascending? I have my doubts about it…
Oh yes – another great compilation of interesting scenes. There is something slightly dubious about some of these locations. I’d love to see more of such 70s stuff.
That shot of “downtown” Solvang is making me hungry for some Andersen’s Split Pea Soup. Had some last time we were in Santa Barbara, but I think it started in Solvang – Buellton?
That Econoline parked out front has a pea green look to it.
Lots a “70’s” rides were the color of “pea soup”.
No Kidding!
Back then our family had a ’72 Ford Torino Wagon in “pea soup” (exterior AND interior).
I think it’s the only car we never took a picture of…
Anderson’s Split Pea Soup has been closed for at least three years unfortunately. It’s supposed to be replaced by the new owner, and with the price of real estate , it’s a sad situation. And it happened suddenly with no notice. I just stopped by to see a closed sign on the restaurant door. It will be torn down eventually.
Does all of Solvang look like that? One hopes not.
It pretty much does. Solvang is a tribute to Denmark somehow and they go a litlle overboard trying to convince tourists that it’s like being in Denmark. Which…it obviously is not, especially not modern present-day Denmark. Although it is (slightly) less expensive than the real thing so there’s that. And it does have a fairly vibrant tourist scene being in the middle of the Santa Ynez Valley, quite a scenic area of Central California inland of Santa Barbara, overall it seems a fairly successful fantasy. Without the Denmark schtick Solvand would likely be another fading little town without much going for it economically and stuck in the shadow of Buellton, which itself has the Anderson’s Split Pea Soup thing going for it.
Pea Soup Andersen’s in Buelton closed in 2024. The adjoining Andersen’s Inn remains open but it is not affiliated.
https://la.eater.com/2024/1/11/24034474/pea-soup-andersens-closing-california-central-coast
Was only there once back in 1970 when parents took a trip up 101 to Monterey and then back. Stop at Point Lobos, stop at Hearst Castle, stop at Solvang, and then stop at former neighbors in Canoga Park. Haven’t been to those places, other than Point Lobos, since 1970. I do like split pea soup and can cook my own.
The one on the 5 in Northern CA is the only one open. The soup is still really good.
Too bad you didn’t get a photo of Bob Spreen Cadillac, “where the freeways meet, in Downey” and its fountain ringed rotating car pedestal. Torn down for an expansion of the Honda dealer. At the 605 & 5 freeways.
Ross Thomas’s The Seersucker Wink features a Santa Monica classic car dealership occupying a former A&P, but I wonder if Automotive Classics was his inspiration.
Lots of familiar sights. We lived in West LA and Santa Monica in the late ’70s.
So many pre-WWII buildings recycled to different businesses by the time these pictures were taken. With the bird on the sign in front of a metal shed type building, what would Tire Town have been? Certainly not a restaurant.
Nice pictures that bring back mostly fond memories .
The smog really was a killer then .
Sad to hear Anderson’s closed up but it’s been crappy for the last 20 years anyway .
-Nate
The building at 209 Colorado Ave. in Santa Monica had an interesting automotive history. In the 30’s it was La Monica Motors, a Ford dealership. It went out of buisness sometime around 1940 when Hastings Chevrolet moved into it. Hastings had been at the corner of Santa Monica Blvd. and Euclid, and they were at the Colorado location until the mid-70’s at which time they became Kramer Chevrolet and moved east on Santa Monica Blvd. For a few years (until the building was razed to make room for The Santa Monica Place, a mall) the building was the classic car dealership pictured.
Cummings Buick dated back to the 30’s, they closed around 1991. Olympic and Bundy had been the site of a large drive-in movie theater until Martin Cadillac built that facility sometime around 1975 and moved there from Wilshire Blvd. That corner has been redeveloped and the Cadillac franchise changed hands and moved to Beverly Hills.
The Gates Tires location became a transmission shop and the Hilborn Top Shop, an automotive upholstery business. Interesting old building, I think it was torn down in the late 80’s. I live about 1 mile from there. Gates gave up on tires and is still in business making automotive hoses and cooling system components. At one time Gates Rubber owned Lear Jet.
Helms baked their last loaf of bread around 1970 and the place has been a furniture store ever since. At least they saved the building.
The Campus Drive-In is indeed long gone but the majorette animated part of the neon sign survives at the College Grove Shopping Center. I saw many movies at the Campus Drive-In but seeing American Graffiti there in 1973 is the only one I remember because it had such a big impact on me.
https://www.sohosandiego.org/reflections/2001-3/baton.htm