Hollywood in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

The Cherokee Building

6646 Hollywood Boulevard

— Hollywood Historic Site #35 —

The Cherokee Building Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker

1. The Cherokee Building Marker

Inscription.
The Cherokee Building was Hollywood's first drive-in business. It catered specifically to the automobile by having a large motor entrance at the rear of the building, where motorists could park before walking through a Spanish courtyard with a tiled fountain into the rear entrance, rather than using the entrance on Hollywood Blvd. Designed in 1927 by architect Norman W. Alpaugh, the building's Spanish Colonial Revival details evoke the warmth and romance of Spain. In 1955, the famed Larry Edmunds Book Shop, specializing in books on Hollywood cinema, moved to the building.

Erected by Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. (Marker Number 35.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1938.

Location. 34° 6.089′ N, 118° 20.079′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Hollywood. It is at the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and North Cherokee Avenue on Hollywood Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6642 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90028, 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: Hollywood Center Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Musso and Frank Grill (within shouting distance of

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this marker); S.H. Kress Department Store (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Baine Building (about 300 feet away); Vogue Theatre (about 300 feet away); Hollywood Studio Building (about 500 feet away); Whitley Court (about 500 feet away); Egyptian Theatre (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.

More about this marker. original marker text:
The Cherokee Building was Hollywood's first drive-in business. It catered specifically to the automobile by having a large motor entrance at the rear of the building where motorists could park, then walk through a Spanish courtyard complete with a tiled fountain, into the rear entrance, rather than using the Hollywood Blvd. entrance. The Larry Edmunds Book Shop, a theatre and film-only bookstore, opened here in 1938.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. - Hollywood Historic Site markers, walking tour with map.

Also see . . . Gangsters, Ghosts and a Classic Haunt: The History of Hollywood's Cherokee Building (LA Weekly)

Original Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, January 28, 2024

2. Original Marker

. More history of the building, which housed many nightclubs and adult bookstores (mature audiences only) (Submitted on October 30, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)

Photographed by Craig Baker, January 28, 2024

3. The Cherokee Building Marker

The Cherokee Building and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jason Voigt, October 25, 2023

4. The Cherokee Building and Marker

Marker is on the stoplight post.

The Cherokee Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker

5. The Cherokee Building

Credits. This page was last revised on June 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 30, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 805 times since then and 71 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 17, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2, 3. submitted on January 31, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4. submitted on October 30, 2023, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. 5. submitted on January 31, 2024, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.