~ By SYDNEY AZRIA

The epicenter of art is hard to spot in today’s modern world.  In the past, social movements involving the arts have come from classic cities like Athens, Rome, Paris and London.

Today in Los Angeles, the deep roots of history has no impact on our modern existence.  Allowing us to live free and to do what we want….  Much like a modern cowboy living on the horizons of an uncharted paradise.  So where does the history of LA begin?  Was it the gold rush or possibly the birth of Hollywood?  Either way, the history of the previous inhabitants of this region is more or less non-existent in the minds of most Angelenos, thus leading us to establish a beginning: The 1930’s!  When Wilshire was Wilshire! The 30’s was the decade in which the city we live in today was in its beginning steps and finding its’ very own artistic expression – in Architecture.

It was the start of Miracle Mile, the stretch of Wilshire Boulevard between Fairfax and La Brea that contains the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings in Los Angeles.  The development of the Miracle Mile was what linked downtown to Beverly Hills and defined itself as the epicenter of shopping.  It paraded some of the city’s most fashionable department stores and it marked a major step in the city’s westward movement and the corresponding slow decline of the downtown commercial area.

One specific building that lined Wilshire in the heyday of the Miracle Mile: 5401 Wilshire Blvd. Home to one of Los Angeles’s cultural treasures, the Sontag Drug Company, and now home to beauty supply queen, Wilshire Beauty.  Built in 1935, the building features several deco characterizations such as the terrazzo tile flooring in the entrance, the bright color of the exterior, the geometric forms, recessed area, and decorative banding.  Various LA artists and developers denoted the art deco style during a 1925 Paris exposition, and Art Deco quickly became the city’s signature tone of architecture. 

 
The Sontag Drug Company opened its doors as one of the pioneer self-service drugstores.  Sontag broke away from the traditional drug store blueprint and allowed customers to self-select their purchases instead of having to request for their goods from behind the counter.  The Sontag Drug Store was 1930’s Angelenos’ version of our modern day Whole Foods- it even offered food cooked on an open grill, a luxury we take for granted.  The breakaway style of the Sontag Drug Company characterized the Miracle Mile as an evolving commercial area that was pushing its way to new boundaries.

The current owners of 5401 Wilshire have worked extensively with the city to preserve its existence as one of the leading deco buildings in Los Angeles. It’s home to Wilshire Beauty, which has one of the largest selections of premiere beauty products, as well as a full service spa and salon. It also houses Des Kohan, a celebrity hot spot boutique and Blankspaces, a creative work space community located in the vast upstairs of the building.  Wilshire Beauty continues the heritage of the Sontag Drug Company, offering its patrons a high level of customer service while giving them the freedom to shop at will.