Label
THE BROWN DERBY
1929
Donated by Universal Studios CityWalk
Rolling stand for restored sign sponsored by the Art Deco Society of California (ADSC)
Few realize Los Angeles was home to five Brown Derby restaurants—one of the most famous names in the city. In the chain of eateries, the most popular may have been the Vine Street location with a Spanish revival facade and neon hat high above the roofline. The Derby was a beacon for celebrities and gawkers and found its way into the stratosphere of Hollywood history before its lamented closure in 1985.
The Brown Derby restaurant at Hollywood and Vine was an institution of American food and celebrity from 1929 to 1985. High above the streetscape, the eatery's neon hat dominated its neighbors, who competed with their own enormous neon displays. Vine Street was the epicenter of national radio programming, with 24-hour restaurants catering to its workforce and audiences.
A jewel in MONA’s historic sign collection, this neon sign came from the Hollywood and Vine location of the Brown Derby Restaurant. Opened on Valentine’s Day in 1929, the eatery became the hottest spot in Hollywood for stars and moguls to dine and deal. Over the years the Brown Derby’s chefs invented signature dishes such as the Cobb Salad and the Grapefruit Cake. The Vine location’s giant, double-sided neon moniker dates to the early 1930s and sat atop the restaurant on a supporting scaffold. Originally its glass tubing glowed in a period-appropriate shade of ruddy neon, but it was later changed to the current combination of white and yellow. The landmark restaurant closed in 1985 and the sign went through two private collections before being donated to the Museum of Neon Art.