Laurel Plaza

This Laurel Plaza area in the San Fernando Valley {a three-​block expanse from Victory Blvd. to Vanowen St. on Laurel Canyon Blvd.} section is now over-​developed with buildings, where the thoroughfare is entirely blocked.
I knew every nook and cranny of this area, the hidden little walkways, the shortcuts, the backways, the alleys, the hidden little shops where instead of gong to some huge impersonal chain, you could get exactly what you needed and wanted with greater quality at one of these…
* Borelli’s Beauty Salon: We moved to the San Gabriel Valley shortly after the owner was arrested for propositioning an undercover officer for homosexual relations outside a gay club for money — he also happened to be the Principal at a Catholic High School. I spent many hours in the back break room playing with My plethora of action figures, wherein I created My own scenarios and sound effects to the point where people thought that there was a television back there. I remember the table containing sutures on the surface, securely keeping the cover on, the hairspray & smoke-​filled air, and the Reader’s Digests perpetually available for reading abouts in there. When first arrived, it was owned by some grumpy old lady whom I accidentally caught using the toilet, since it was her peculiar habit to leave the door open — her fault! She despised children anyway, but it seems that this a catylist to change management to the Borelli’s, which then upgraded its operation exponentially in aesthetics and clientele.
* The See’s Candy shoppe: There I would frequent several times a week for treats. Unmistakable are the sights, smells, and sounds of this charming place. The checkerboard floors, the smell of candy confections filling the air, that certain bell upon entering. Fortunately, there are other See’s candy stores about, but this one held a special appreciation.
* The burger joint around the corner accessed via an alleyway where I would enjoy several times a week as well, owned by Middle-​Eastern fellows. i always had their biggest cheeseburger, fries, and shake, which one could watch them prepare, with one’s appetite growing as the olfactory presence grew.
* Hughes Market {A.K.A., «Market Basket”}: I was a veritable „cart boy“ here, bringing in extensive numbers of carts back to the store for something called „blue chip stamps“, which were spit out of a machine according to the amount of carts retrieved. Marvelous idea overall. Being a big boy, sometimes I could push in several hundred per session. Once, there was a hotdog stand set up outside in the parking lot, where one could trade in these ‘stamps’ for hot dogs and pepsi — apparently, I did this so extensively that I was told to please leave that I was eating up all their supplies! However, these of course were much appreciated by my mother. These were earned, not dispensed freely, and were beneficial both physically and monetarily.
Later on, I also acquired some Heavy Metal magazines from here from time to time when spotted in the magazine shelves by the door, including ‘Metal Edge’, Circus, and ‘Kerrang!’.
Hughes Market was eventually replaced by a Ralphs, then relocated to Pasadena as a „How’s“, though the name Hughes is still included as „A Hugh’s Grocer“. Just keep the original name.
* The barber shop next door I was sent to on occasion for whatever reason, instead of getting a cut at the beauty salon {perhaps deemed too feminine, or something}: Traditional barber shop complete with barber pole out front.
* The UA Theater, replaced by a Regency. Still there, but just renamed.
* Thrifty’s {now known as Rite Aid} across the street from there, replaced by „Anna’s Linens“, a fabric store. JC Penny’s next to that, May Company next to that {now Macy’s}, and Sear’s further down. Love the ice cream cones; always acquired a triple-​decker of rocky road, strawberry, and vanilla. Some of these establishments still have the ice cream nooks inside the stores.
* Woolworth’s Dept. Store: Where I would sometimes eat at the indoor diner therein, usually some sort of cheese melt sandwich, watch cartoons, and acquired several great action figures, including an 18» Darth Vader, and an 18″ Boba Fett, and My Darth Vader costume from Cooper. I recall once asking an attendant if they had any monster action figures, which they did not, after having viewed Mad Monster Party once. Of course, I have since collected several classic monsters, just like I had envisioned.
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