Oakwood in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
First See’s Candies
| — | 1921 | — |
Photographed by Craig Baker, May 17, 2023
1. First See’s Candies Marker
First See's Candies Shop and Kitchen.
Cultural Heritage Commission Cultural Monument No. 959
City of Los Angeles
Erected by City of Los Angeles. (Marker Number 958.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1921.
Location. 34° 4.449′ N, 118° 18.556′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Oakwood. It is on Western Avenue 0.1 miles south of Beverly Boulevard, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 135 N Western Ave, Los Angeles CA 90004, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexico’s Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Cora B. Henderson House (approx. ¼ mile away); Heart House (approx. 0.3 miles away); 221 St Andrews Place Residence (approx. 0.3 miles away); Thomas Churchill Residence (approx. 0.4 miles away); Monsignor O’Brien House (approx. 0.8 miles away); Paramount Pictures (approx. 0.9 miles away); Wiltern Theatre (approx. 0.9 miles away); Wilshire Boulevard Temple (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.
More about this
this page online
Regarding First See’s Candies. Canadian chocolate salesman Charles See moved to Los Angeles with his family and widowed mother, Mary See, to start his own candy company. In 1921 he opened the first See's shop at 135 N Western Avenue, selling Mary's confections made from her own original recipes. By 1925 there were a dozen See's chocolate shops across Los Angeles. Beginning in 1936, shops were opened in San Francisco, and See’s Candies were popular at the 1939 San Francisco World’s Fair.
In 1952, Lucy and Ethel (Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance) visited the See's candy kitchen on La Cienega Blvd in Los Angeles for the hilariously popular I Love Lucy episode "Job Switching".
In 1961 the first shop outside California opened in Phoenix, and in 1976 the first international See's Candies shop opened in Hong Kong. See's has grown to over 200 shops across America, plus a popular online store.
Photographed by Craig Baker, May 17, 2023
2. First See’s Candies Marker
Photographed by Craig Baker, May 17, 2023
3. First See’s Candies Shop
Photographed by Craig Baker, May 17, 2023
4. First See’s Candies Shop
courtesy See's Candies
5. First See’s Candies Shop - circa 1921
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 28, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 872 times since then and 159 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 28, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
