"VISITING" WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.
HUELL HOWSER>> HI, I'M HUELL HOWSER.
AND THIS, OF COURSE, IS THE CLASSIC LANDMARK, OLD BULLOCKS WILSHIRE DEPARTMENT STORE.
IN ITS HEYDAY, BULLOCKS WILSHIRE WAS ONE OF THE TRULY ELEGANT PLACES TO SHOP.
IT WAS ONE OF THE FINEST DEPARTMENT STORES ANYWHERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
WELL, SEVERAL YEARS AGO BULLOCKS WILSHIRE CLOSED DOWN.
IT BOARDED UP ITS WINDOWS AND BASICALLY THIS BEAUTIFUL BUILDING HAS BEEN SITTING HERE EMPTY ALL THESE YEARS.
BUT, I AM VERY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THERE'S SOMETHING NEW GOING ON INSIDE THE OLD BUILDING.
IT'S FOUND A NEW PURPOSE IN LIFE AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN THIS ONE HOUR SPECIAL IS TAKE A LOOK BACK IN TIME FIRST AT THE DAY WE SPENT INSIDE BULLOCKS WILSHIRE WHEN IT WAS STILL A DEPARTMENT STORE.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN FOR SOME OF YOU, A LITTLE NOSTALGIC.
FOR SOME OF YOU IT WILL BE KIND OF SAD BECAUSE WE'LL BE GOING BACK IN TIME AND SEEING THE WAY IT WAS WHEN IT WAS A DEPARTMENT STORE.
AND THEN WE'LL BE COMING BACK FOR A VERY POSITIVE, UPBEAT -- THIS IS DEFINITELY A SUCCESS STORY -- WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING A LOOK AT THE WAY BULLOCKS WILSHIRE IS BEING USED TODAY.
I'M STANDING HERE WITH MARY ALICE WALLUM, WHO IS A DOCENT WITH THE LOS ANGELES CONSERVANCY AND WE ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF -- AND I KEEP WANTING TO CALL IT BULLOCKS WILSHIRE -- ACTUALLY IT'S I. MAGNUM'S WILSHIRE.
MARY ALICE WALLUM>> WE ALWAYS CALL IT BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
IT WILL ALWAYS BE BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
HUELL>> THAT'S WHAT ALL THE OLD TIMERS KNOW IT AS.
MARY ALICE>> I THINK.
YES, THAT'S TRUE.
HUELL>> NOW, WE ARE STANDING OUT IN FRONT OF -- WHAT IS THIS PLACE CALLED?
MARY ALICE>> THIS IS THE PORTE-COCHERE OF BULLOCKS WILSHIRE AND ORIGINALLY WHEN THE BUILDING OPENED IN 1929 PEOPLE WOULD DRIVE THEIR CARS IN AND THEY WOULD BE MET BY UNIFORMED VALETS AND THE VALETS WOULD PARK THEIR CARS.
PEOPLE WOULD GO IN SHOPPING AND COME OUT.
ALL THEIR PACKAGES WOULD BE LOADED IN THE CAR AND THEY'D DRIVE OFF.
HUELL>> AND LOOK AT THIS.
I MEAN, THIS IS -- THIS BEAUTIFUL MURAL HERE.
THEY JUST DON'T DO THIS ANYMORE.
MARY ALICE>> WELL, WHEN BULLOCKS WILSHIRE WAS BUILT ONE OF THE MAJOR DESIGN ELEMENTS WAS THE AUTOMOBILE.
L.A.
IN THE '20S WAS A CAR TOWN AS IT IS TODAY AND SO THIS IS CALLED THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPORTATION AND IT'S A SALUTE TO TRANSPORTATION IN THE MODERN AGE.
THERE IN THE MIDDLE IS MERCURY, THE GOD OF TRAVEL, AND HE'S SURROUNDED BY ALL THESE MODERN ELEMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION.
THERE'S A GRAF ZEPPELIN, THERE'S A PULLMAN AIRPLANE, MADDOX AIRLINES USED TO FLY BETWEEN LOS ANGELES AND -- HUELL>> STEAM SHIP OVER HERE.
A LOCOMOTIVE.
MARY ALICE>> WELL, ACTUALLY IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT LOCOMOTIVE BECAUSE IT'S THE SYMBOL OF SPEED IN THE '20S.
IT WAS THE SANTA FE SUPERCHIEF.
IF YOU REMEMBER WHAT SUPERMAN WAS FASTER THAN, HE WAS FASTER THAN A SPEEDING LOCOMOTIVE AND, OF COURSE, THAT WAS THE FASTEST LOCOMOTIVE.
HUELL>> SO, THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE WOULD PULL UP, RIGHT HERE.
MARY ALICE>> THEY WOULD PULL UP RIGHT HERE.
AND IT'S GLASSED IN OVER HERE.
THIS WAS DONE IN 1965.
HUELL>> UH-HUH.
MARY ALICE>> IT WAS PART OF THE RESTORATION WHEN THEY PUT IN THE UNDERGROUND PARKING LOT.
BUT ORIGINALLY THAT WASN'T THERE AND PEOPLE COULD DRIVE ALL THE WAY IN.
HUELL>> LET'S GO INSIDE BECAUSE THIS -- I MEAN -- WELL, I MUST TELL YOU, THIS IS MY FAVORITE STORE IN LOS ANGELES, BAR NONE.
WHEN IT OPENED IN 1929 IT CAUSED QUITE A STIR, DIDN'T IT?
MARY ALICE>> IT WAS CALLED A CONTEMPORARY CATHEDRAL OF COMMERCE.
AND IT WAS THE MOST -- HUELL>> WAIT A MINUTE, THE WHAT?
MARY ALICE>> A CONTEMPORARY CATHEDRAL OF COMMERCE.
ONE OF THE NEWSPAPERS OF THE DAY CALLED IT THAT AND IT DID CAUSE QUITE A STIR.
IT WAS A VERY DARING STORE.
IT HAD SOME VERY RADICAL IDEAS ABOUT IT.
IT WAS THE FIRST DEPARTMENT STORE IN LOS ANGELES TO BE BUILT IN THE SUBURBS BECAUSE THE PEOPLE IN THE '20S DID NOT SHOP WHERE THEY LIVED.
THEY WENT DOWNTOWN.
THEY TOOK THE STREET CAR.
THEY DROVE THEIR OWN CAR AND SO JOHN BULLOCK AND P. G. WINETT, WHO BUILT THE STORE, CONCEIVED THE STORE -- THOUGHT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IT IN THE SUBURBS.
HUELL>> SO, THIS WAS CONSIDERED THE SUBURBS BACK IN 1929.
MARY ALICE>> IN 1929, WILSHIRE BOULEVARD DIDN'T EVEN GO THROUGH DOWNTOWN.
THERE WAS NO COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ON WILSHIRE BOULEVARD EXCEPT FOR THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL, WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1921.
SO, THIS BUILDING REALLY STARTED IT REALLY STARTED THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF WILSHIRE BOULEVARD.
HUELL>> NOW, THIS -- WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS BASICALLY THE WAY IT LOOKED IN 1929.
MARY ALICE>> WE REALLY ARE.
ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS ABOUT BULLOCKS WILSHIRE IS THAT IT HAS BEEN A DEPARTMENT STORE SINCE 1929.
SIXTY-THREE YEARS.
WE'RE STANDING IN WHAT WAS FOR YEARS AND YEARS THE SPORTSWEAR SECTION.
AND OVER ON THE WALL IS ANOTHER MURAL AND IT'S CALLED THE SPIRIT OF SPORTS AND IT WAS DONE BY A SERBO-CROATIAN ARTIST NAMED GAJOR SOLJANA.
AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT BULLOCKS WILSHIRE WAS THAT IT WAS BUILT IN A BOUTIQUE ARRANGEMENT.
NOW WE GO INTO THE DEPARTMENT STORE AND WE SEE DONNA KARAN, WE SEE RALPH LAUREN.
IN THE '20S, PEOPLE HAD BIG DEPARTMENT STORES WITH JUST BIG ROOMS AND THIS BUILDING WAS CONCEIVED OF A CLUSTER OF BOUTIQUES, VERY RADICAL FOR ITS DAY.
HUELL>> I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU MEANT BY RADICAL FOR A DEPARTMENT STORE IN 1929.
MARY ALICE>> WELL, VERY DARING.
HUELL>> BUT YOU JUST DON'T SEE THINGS LIKE THIS IN A DEPARTMENT STORE TODAY.
MARY ALICE>> SUCH BEAUTY.
SUCH GREAT CARE.
VERY INTERESTING.
THE DECORATOR OF THE STORE, THE MAIN DECORATOR OF THE STORE'S NAME WAS ELEANOR LAMERE.
SHE WAS FROM NEW YORK CITY.
VERY, VERY CHIC.
SHE HIRED 13 ARTISANS TO COMPLETE THE STORE, MANY OF THEM EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS.
AND SO BULLOCKS WILSHIRE BROUGHT NOT ONLY THE FINEST IN FASHION FROM EUROPE, BUT THE FINEST IN ARCHITECTURAL AND ORNAMENTAL DESIGN.
HUELL>> WHY WAS THAT EVEN IMPORTANT THOUGH?
BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT WAS A DEPARTMENT STORE.
WHY DID THEY EVEN GO TO THE TROUBLE OF PUTTING IN MURALS AND THESE BEAUTIFUL CHANDELIERS AND ALL OF THAT?
MARY ALICE>> WHY DID PEOPLE GO TO THE MOVIES AT THE WILTERN THEATER AND BEAUTIFUL MOVIE HOUSES?
PEOPLE WANTED THE SHOW TO BEGIN ON THE SIDEWALK.
WHETHER IT WAS A MOVIE HOUSE OR WHETHER IT WAS A DEPARTMENT STORE.
AND DEPARTMENT STORES COMPETED BY BUILDING BEAUTIFUL PALACES.
IF YOU LOOK UP, YOU'LL SEE THE KNIGHT PIECE AND IT REPRESENTS THE SADDLE SHOP.
HUELL>> THE SADDLE SHOP.
MARY ALICE>> AND WHEN BULLOCKS WILSHIRE OPENED IN 1929, POLO AND RIDING WERE THE BIG RAGES IN LOS ANGELES AND MR. WINETT PLAYED POLO AND THIS WAS THE SADDLE SHOP.
THIS IS WHERE CLARK GABLE CAME AND BOUGHT HIS RIDING BREECHES.
AND ALONG THE WALL RIGHT HERE THERE WERE OAK CABINETS THAT LOOKED LIKE STABLES.
AND PEOPLE WOULD GO IN AND TRY ON THEIR RIDING BREECHES AND THERE WAS A FULL-SIZED PLASTER HORSE NAMED BULLOCKS BARNEY AND PEOPLE WOULD GET THEIR JODHPURS ON AND HOP ON THE HORSE AND SEE IF THE FIT WAS CORRECT.
HUELL>> WOW.
WELL, NOW THAT WAS KIND OF ELITIST, WASN'T IT?
I MEAN, HOW MUCH BUSINESS WAS THERE FOR POLO OUTFITS?
MARY ALICE>> WELL, WILL ROGERS CAME IN AND BOUGHT, YOU KNOW, POLO OUTFITS, ALSO.
BULLOCKS WILSHIRE WAS PARTLY AN ELITIST STORE, PARTLY IT WAS NOT.
NOW, ANOTHER INTERESTING PART OF BULLOCKS WILSHIRE WAS RIGHT UP HERE AND IT WAS THE DOGGERY.
HUELL>> THE DOGGERY?
MARY ALICE>> THE DOGGERY.
AND PEOPLE WOULD GO UP THE BRICK STAIRS TO THE DOGGERY AND THEY COULD BUY ACCESSORIES FOR THEIR DOGS.
HUELL>> OH, WOW.
NOW, I'VE BEEN IN THIS STORE 500 TIMES AND I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT OR KNOWN WHAT IT WAS.
MARY ALICE>> IT WAS THE DOGGERY.
HUELL>> AND WHAT WAS IN HERE?
MARY ALICE>> AND THIS WAS ACCESSORIES FOR MANY YEARS, SILVER, HOUSEHOLD FURNISHING ACCESSORIES AND IF YOU LOOK UP, YOU CAN SEE SOME VERY INTERESTING CHANDELIERS.
THESE WERE PUT IN IN THE '50S BY THE STORE DECORATOR NAMED RAYMOND DEXTER AND THEY ALWAYS LOOK TO ME LIKE THEY WERE SOMETHING RIGHT OUT OF FLASH GORDON.
HUELL>> VERY SPUTNIK.
MARY ALICE>> YES INDEED.
HUELL>> THAT'S AN ORIGINAL ú30'S CLOCK OVER THERE.
MARY ALICE>> IT IS.
ONE OF THE DESIGN ELEMENTS IN BULLOCKS-WILSHIRE IS BAU HAUS AND BAU HAUS WAS A MOVEMENT IN GERMANY IN 1918 TO THE 30'S.
AND THEY EMPHASIZE THE MACHINE AGE.
IT'S A SIMPLE MACHINE CLOCK.
HUELL>> ISN'T IT WONDERFUL THAT ALL THIS STUFF WAS SAVED OVER THE YEARS AND THAT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, WHEN THE STORE WAS REMODELED FROM TIME TO TIME, IT WASN'T DESTROYED OR TAKEN OUT.
MARY ALICE>> THE LOS ANGELES CONSERVANCY HAS GREAT RESPECT FOR THE BULLOCKS COMPANY, FOR THE MACY'S COMPANY FOR REALLY MAINTAINING BULLOCKS-WILSHIRE OVER THE YEARS.
HUELL>> NOW THIS HAS KIND OF AN EGYPTIAN LOOK TO IT, IN A WAY.
MARY ALICE>> WELL, IT WAS DESIGNED BY-- HUELL>> KIND OF A FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT LOOK.
MARY ALICE>> YOU HIT IT ON THE HEAD.
THE DESIGNER OF THIS WAS JACQUES PETERS, WHO WAS THE MAIN DESIGNER ON THE FIRST TWO FLOORS.
HUELL>> LOOK AT THIS LOUIE, THIS WHOLE WALL.
MARY ALICE>> AND FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT BUILT TEXTILE BLOCK HOUSES IN LOS ANGELES.
YOU MIGHT KNOW THE HOLLY HOCK HOUSE OR THE ENIS BROWN HOUSE, AND JACQUES PETERS WAS INSPIRED BY FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT, WHO WAS INSPIRED BY MAYAN DESIGN, TO DO THIS IN THE MEN'S DEPARTMENT.
HUELL>> LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.
MARY ALICE>> WE'RE ABOUT TO APPROACH THE PALM COURT WHICH WAS ORIGINAL TO THE STORE AND THIS WAS AN AREA THAT WAS RIGHT OFF THE COURTYARD OF THE MEN'S DEPARTMENT STORE.
AND MEN COULD COME HERE AND COULD SMOKE OR COULD GO OUT IN THE COURTYARD.
HUELL>> IN THE PALM COURT.
NOW, THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL PALMS?
MARY ALICE>> THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL PALMS.
THE COMPASS WAS PUT IN IN THE '60S, BUT THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL PALMS AND THIS AREA WAS COURTYARD ORIGINALLY.
I BELIEVE THE ADDITION WAS PUT ON IN THE 1930S.
HUELL>> WOW.
THOSE ARE BEAUTIFUL.
THE ORIGINAL PALMS.
MARY ALICE>> THE ORIGINAL WILSHIRE BOULEVARD PALMS.
WE'RE ABOUT TO WALK INTO THE ACCESSORY DEPARTMENT WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED THE ACCESSORY ALCOVE AND THERE ARE A LOT OF STORIES.
RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE ACCESSORIES ALCOVE, ANGELA LANDSBURY WORKED AND SHE WAS WAITING TO BREAK INTO PICTURES AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT SHE WAS WAITING TO LOSE A COUPLE OF POUNDS AT THE SAME TIME.
HUELL>> SO, SHE WORKED RIGHT HERE.
MARY ALICE>> SHE WORKED RIGHT HERE AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER WELL- KNOWN CELEBRITIES THAT WORKED HERE, BOTH PATRICIA NIXON AND JUNE LOCKHART WORKED UPSTAIRS IN THE COLLEGIAN SHOP.
HUELL>> PAT NIXON WORKED HERE.
MARY ALICE>> PAT NIXON WORKED HERE.
HUELL>> LOOK AT THIS.
LOOK AT THIS ORIGINAL -- THESE ORIGINAL CHANDELIERS HERE IN THE MIDDLE.
MARY ALICE>> THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL CHANDELIERS AND ON EITHER SIDE WE HAVE ATOMIC SHAPED CHANDELIERS THAT WERE ADDED IN THE 1950S.
NOW, IF YOU TURN AND LOOK RIGHT OVER HERE, THIS IS THE SHOE SALON AND IT WAS ALSO CALLED THE SHOES OCTAGON AND ORIGINALLY IT HAD BEAUTIFUL RUGS BY SONJA DELANE WHO WAS A GREAT PARISIAN ARTIST.
HUELL>> LOOK AT THIS WOOD.
LOOK AT THIS WOOD.
MARY ALICE>> THIS WOOD IS NOT ORIGINAL, BUT IT -- HUELL>> IT LOOKS ORIGINAL.
MARY ALICE>> IT DOES LOOK ORIGINAL AND THERE'S A BULLOCKS MYTH ABOUT IT THAT IT CAME FROM ONE TREE IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THEY COULD NEVER FIND THE NAME OF THE TREE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF MYTHS ABOUT BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
HUELL>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN MYTHS?
MARY ALICE>> OH, STORIES THAT THERE ARE GHOSTS IN THE ELEVATOR, THAT JOHN BULLOCK LIVED IN THE TOWER.
HE DIED IN 1933 ACTUALLY.
HUELL>> WHY WOULD THEY CREATE A TOWER LIKE THAT?
WHAT DID THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE STORE?
MARY ALICE>> THE TOWER WAS REALLY AN ADVERTISING DEVICE.
IT WAS A BEACON SO PEOPLE DRIVING UP AND DOWN WILSHIRE BOULEVARD OR IN FROM VIRGIL OR IN DOWNTOWN COULD SEE THE BULLOCKS WILSHIRE TOWER TOWERING EVERY EVERYTHING AND THEY'D SAY THAT'S WHERE BULLOCKS WILSHIRE IS.
HUELL>> WELL, IT'S STILL A LANDMARK.
YOU CAN STILL SEE IT.
MARY ALICE>> YOU CAN STILL SEE IT.
IN 1935, THIS ROOM BECAME IRENE'S SALON AND IRENE WAS ONE OF THE GREAT DESIGNERS AT M.G.M.
AND SHE WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN DESIGNER TO HAVE HER OWN BOUTIQUE IN A STORE AND SHE DESIGNED FOR GINGER ROGERS, MARLENA DIETRICH, LUPI VELEZ, AND THEY WOULD COME SHOPPING HERE AND THEY WOULD SIT ON COUCHES RIGHT HERE AND MANNEQUINS WOULD MODEL.
THEY WOULD COME OUT FROM BEHIND AND A SIMPLE IRENE FROCK IN 1935 COST $450.
HUELL>> REALLY.
MARY ALICE>> SO, IT'S QUITE A MARVELOUS ROOM.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A MOVIE SET.
HUELL>> WOW.
MARY ALICE>> AND THERE ARE A LOT OF MEMORIES OF HOLLYWOOD AT BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
A LOT OF THE GREAT STARS SHOPPED.
HUELL>> I NEVER HAD MADE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HOLLYWOOD AND BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
MARY ALICE>> WELL, THE STUDIOS USED A LOT OF THE CLOTHING FROM BULLOCKS WILSHIRE, BUT MAY WEST USED TO SHOP HERE, BUT SHE NEVER CAME IN THE STORE.
HER CHAUFFEUR WOULD PARK HER LIMOUSINE DOWN ON WILSHIRE AND A MAN NAMED CHET, FROM THE MEN'S WEAR DEPARTMENT, WOULD BRING CLOTHING DOWN FROM FINER APPAREL.
AND GRETA GARBO SHOPPED HERE AND SHE SHOPPED FOR MEN'S CLOTHING, FOR MEN'S TROUSERS AND SHE WOULD GO DOWNSTAIRS AND TRY ON MEN'S TROUSERS IN THE MEN'S DEPARTMENT.
HUELL>> WOW.
MARY ALICE>> SO, THE HISTORY OF BULLOCKS WILSHIRE IS THE HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD, ALSO.
THIS IS FINER APPAREL AND THE DESIGN WAS BASED ON A FREE INTERPRETATION OF MARIE ANTOINETTE'S BOUDOIR AT VERSAILLES.
AND IT WAS A VERY ELEGANT ROOM, A NEOCLASSICAL ROOM IN WHICH VERY ELEGANT WOMEN PURCHASED EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND VERY ELEGANT CLOTHING.
AND ORIGINALLY THERE WAS BROCADE FURNITURE AND DRESSES -- THERE WERE NO DRESS RACKS BECAUSE MANNEQUINS OR MODELS WOULD MODEL THE CLOTHING AND THEN WOMEN WOULD SELECT AND TRY ON.
HUELL>> WHO WOULD THINK OF DOING A REPRODUCTION OF SOMETHING THAT MARIE ANTOINETTE'S, I MEAN, THAT'S AMAZING.
MARY ALICE>> WELL, WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTED IS THAT THERE ARE TWO PERIOD ROOMS AT BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
ROOMS FROM THE PAST.
BULLOCKS WILSHIRE WAS CREATIVELY EVOKED FROM THE FUTURE AND NOT THE PAST.
SO HERE WE HAVE THESE ELEGANT ROOMS IN WHICH WOMEN PURCHASED CLOTHING.
HUELL>> THIS ONE AND -- MARY ALICE>> AND THIS ONE WHICH IS NOW THE FUR SALON.
ORIGINALLY, IT WAS LA DIRECTOIS AND IT'S WHERE WOMEN BOUGHT THEIR EVENING CLOTHES.
IN FACT, THEY WOULD DARKEN THE ROOM AND MANNEQUINS WOULD COME OUT IN DARKENED ROOMS SO WOMEN COULD SEE WHAT THE EVENING WEAR LOOKED LIKE AT NIGHT.
IT IS LIKE A 19TH CENTURY FRENCH SALON.
IT'S A NEOCLASSICAL, SCONCES, A MAHOGANY FIREPLACE, THE MURALS ARE CALLED THE MONUMENTS OF PARIS AND THEY WERE DONE BY AN AMERICAN ARTIST NAMED GEORGE DEWINTER AND THERE SHOULD BE A PICTURE OVER HERE SOMEWHERE OF JEAN HARLOW WHO USED TO COME HERE AND BUY HER EVENING GOWNS AND IT'S AT A BULLOCKS WILSHIRE MUSEUM WHICH WE CAN PASS THROUGH, BUT SHE WAS ONE OF THE PATRONS HERE.
HUELL>> WOW.
AND THIS IS BASICALLY THE WAY THIS WAS -- MARY ALICE>> IT LOOKS VERY SIMILAR.
IT USED TO BE GRAY.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY GRAY.
THEY RESTORED IT AND THEY PAINTED IT GREEN.
HUELL>> THESE MURALS ARE ALL ORIGINAL?
MARY ALICE>> THE MURALS ARE ALL ORIGINAL.
HUELL>> THE FIREPLACE, THE MURALS, ALL OF THIS?
MARY ALICE>> ALL ORIGINAL.
THE SCONCES, THE CLOCK AND THE FURNITURE IS ORIGINAL.
HUELL>> WOW.
MARY ALICE>> SO, THE INCREDIBLE VALUE OF BULLOCKS WILSHIRE 63 YEARS LATER WE CAN SIT IN THE SAME CHAIRS HUELL>> YEAH.
MARY ALICE>> -- THAT THEY SAT IN IN 1929.
HUELL>> WELL, IT'S LIKE THE PAST AND THE PRESENT ARE TOGETHER BECAUSE THERE'S NO REAL SEPARATION BETWEEN THE TWO.
MARY ALICE>> THERE ISN'T.
THERE ISN'T.
HERE WE ARE WALKING THROUGH THE TEA ROOM AND ORIGINALLY WHEN BULLOCKS WILSHIRE WAS BUILT THIS WAS ONE OF THE CHICEST PLACES TO BE IN LOS ANGELES.
THERE WERE TWO LOUNGES, THE CACTUS LOUNGE AND THIS WAS THE DESERT LOUNGE, ALL DECORATED IN ART DECO.
TEA ROOMS ARE THINGS OF THE PAST.
HUELL>> YEAH, BUT NOW YOU KNOW -- DON'T SAY THINGS OF THE PAST BECAUSE THIS IS ONE THE PLACES I LIKE TO COME EAT.
MARY ALICE>> WELL, I HAVE EATEN HERE FOR YEARS AND, YOU KNOW, WE SEE SO MANY PEOPLE AT THE TABLES.
WE SEE MOTHERS WITH THEIR DAUGHTERS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS, GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SHOPPED AT BULLOCKS WILSHIRE AND EATEN IN THE TEA ROOM.
IT'S VERY SAD BECAUSE TODAY IS THEIR LAST MEAL HERE.
HUELL>> WHAT WAS THE IDEA OF HAVING A TEA ROOM IN A DEPARTMENT STORE LIKE THIS?
MARY ALICE>> IT WAS SO PEOPLE WOULD CONTINUE SHOPPING, THAT THEY WOULD COME IN THE MORNING, THEY WOULD SHOP, THEY WOULD TAKE A BREAK WITH A LOVELY LUNCH AND THEN THEY WOULD CONTINUE SHOPPING THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND THE TEA ROOM IS REALLY DYING IN DEPARTMENT STORES.
THEY MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE CAFE, BUT NO ONE HAS A BULLOCKS WILSHIRE TEA ROOM.
HUELL>> YEAH.
DO YOU THINK THE TRADITION WAS SOMETHING THAT SURPRISED EVERYBODY ABOUT HOW THAT STARTED.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I KEEP TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT THEIR DAUGHTERS, THEIR GRANDDAUGHTERS, THEIR SONS, THEIR GRANDSONS, IT'S BECOME A TRADITION.
MARY ALICE>> I DON'T THINK THE TRADITION IS SURPRISING.
I THINK IT'S WHAT PEOPLE CRAVE.
PEOPLE CRAVE THE TRADITION.
THEY WANT MORE TRADITION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE SO UPSET ABOUT IS THAT THEY CAN'T CONTINUE THE TRADITION AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
HUELL>> WHAT DOES THAT DO TO SOMEBODY TO TAKE A -- I KNOW YOU'RE NOT A PSYCHIATRIST HERE, BUT I MEAN WHAT DOES IT DO TO SOMEBODY TO PUNCH HIM IN THE GUT AND TAKE THAT KIND OF A TRADITION AWAY FROM THEM?
MARY ALICE>> I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO SAY ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN LOS ANGELES NOW.
WE'RE TAKING AWAY TRADITION.
WHEN I SAY WE, OUR TRADITIONS ARE BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM US.
PEOPLE DEVELOP ALMOST A FAMILY STRUCTURE, A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP WITH A BUILDING LIKE BULLOCKS WILSHIRE AND WHEN THAT'S TAKEN AWAY IT'S LIKE A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY DYING.
HUELL>> YEAH.
MARY ALICE>> AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE FEELING THAT TODAY.
HUELL>> SO, THIS IS A LOT MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING SAYING GOODBYE.
MARY ALICE>> IT'S MORE THAN A STORE.
IT'S MORE THAN A GREAT PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE.
IT'S ABOUT THE HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES, ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOS ANGELES.
IT'S ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE FOUND SO MUCH CELEBRATION IN BULLOCKS WILSHIRE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE ANYMORE.
HUELL>> YOU SEE, WE HAVE A WHOLE LINE OF LADIES HERE.
>> NOSTALGIC LADIES.
>> WITH TEARS IN OUR EYES.
HUELL>> MA'AM?
>> WITH TEARS IN OUR EYES.
HUELL>> SO, YOU ALL ARE SHARING STORIES?
>> EXACTLY.
HUELL>> WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT THE OLD TEA ROOM?
>> WE WANT IT TO STAY OPEN.
IT'S SO ELEGANT AND IT'S AN ERA THAT'S PASSED.
HUELL>> THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WE COULD TALK WITH AND I'M CONVINCED THAT EVERY PERSON AT EVERY TABLE HAS A STORY.
>> I'M IN MOURNING OVER THIS.
I REALLY AM.
I'M JUST DEVASTATED.
I COME FROM THE VALLEY AND TO ME THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE THING THAT'S HAPPENING.
I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT IS GOING TO BECOME OF BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
HUELL>> WELL, NO ONE KNOWS.
>> YOU DON'T KNOW?
HUELL>> NO ONE KNOWS.
>> OH.
HUELL>> NOW, YOU'RE GOING OUT IN STYLE WITH THAT HOT FUDGE SUNDAE.
>> YES, AND I'M ALMOST TOO SAD TO TALK ABOUT IT.
REALLY AND TRULY I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE NOT BEING ABLE TO COME HERE.
HUELL>> WELL, DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT ANYBODY REALLY COULD HAVE DONE TO -- >> YES.
YES, IF MORE PEOPLE HAD COME.
IF ALL THE LOT OF THEM STANDING IN LINE OUT THERE AND THERE WAS A LONG LINE WHEN I CAME A LITTLE WHILE AGO AND HAD THEY ALL COME THIS WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED.
SO -- HUELL>> SO, EVERYBODY'S A LITTLE BIT TO BLAME?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S TRUE.
THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT IT.
THEY HAD A WONDERFUL PLACE AND THEY DIDN'T REALIZE IT.
HUELL>> WELL, ISN'T THAT TRUE THOUGH ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS?
WE NEVER KNOW WHAT WE HAVE UNTIL WE LOSE IT.
>> THAT'S VERY TRUE.
VERY, VERY TRUE.
HUELL>> NOW, YOU ALL ARE JUST SITTING HERE GETTING READY TO ORDER.
>> YEAH, I'VE BEEN SHOPPING HERE SINCE BEFORE WORLD WAR II.
I HAVE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL COPPER CHARGE-A-PLATES.
HUELL>> REALLY?
IT DOESN'T STILL WORK DOES IT?
>> YEAH.
I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I LIVE IN SILVERLAKE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M GOING TO GO.
HUELL>> IS THIS WHERE YOU HOLD COURT RIGHT HERE AT THIS TABLE?
>> WELL, NOT THIS TABLE.
BUT I USED TO HAVE A WAITRESS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M GOING TO SHOP.
IT'S HEARTBREAKING.
YOU KNOW, I'M FROM HEAD TO TOE ON BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
INSIDE AND OUT.
HUELL>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN INSIDE AND OUT?
>> THE UNDERWEAR, THE OUTERWEAR, THE SHOES, THE HOSE, NOT THE JEWELRY.
HUELL>> WHAT ABOUT YOUR HEART?
>> MY HEART IS IN BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
AND I'M GOING -- I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M GOING TO SHOP WITH TEARS IN MY EYES.
HUELL>> NOW, WE HAVE THREE LADIES OVER HERE HAVING A FAREWELL LUNCH.
>> I'VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE I WAS IN THE 7TH GRADE.
HUELL>> THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY TELLS ME THAT THIS IS -- >> THIS IS MY DAUGHTER.
I BOUGHT HER FIRST PAIR OF CAPEZIOS HERE WHEN SHE WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS OLD AND I HAVE ANOTHER DAUGHTER THAT I BOUGHT CAPEZIOS FOR.
HER LAST DOLL CAME FROM HERE.
HUELL>> SO, THIS IS REALLY A FAMILY PLACE.
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
THIS IS MY AUNT.
>> HI.
I'VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE YOU OPENED.
HUELL>> REALLY.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?
>> I THINK THIS IS REALLY A SHAME THAT IT'S CLOSING BECAUSE IT'S A TRADITION THAT WE'VE ENJOYED OVER THE YEARS.
EVERY CHRISTMAS WE COME HERE.
HUELL>> A TRADITION CONTINUES, IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?
>> YES.
YES, IT IS.
WE'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR MANY A YEAR.
I CAME WITH MY MOTHER AND THIS IS MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER, SHANNON, WHO'S 9 AND WE'RE HERE.
WE ALWAYS COME ON ONE OF OUR BIRTHDAYS AND THIS IS MY 50TH.
HUELL>> SO, THIS IS YOUR BIRTHDAY.
>> THIS IS MY BIRTHDAY.
AND MY MOTHER -- WE COME HERE ON HER BIRTHDAY AND MY BIRTHDAY.
AND ALL MY BEST FRIENDS' BIRTHDAYS.
HUELL>> NOW, WHY DID YOU THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THIS TRADITION WITH YOUR DAUGHTER.
>> WELL, I THINK IF YOU GROW UP IN LOS ANGELES THERE ARE LANDMARKS AND YOU SHOULD ALWAYS KNOW THE HISTORY AND THE TRADITIONS.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT KEEP A CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION GOING.
AND WHEN TRADITIONS FAIL SO TOO DO THE BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF LIFE.
THE BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES.
>> TO ME, LOSING STORES ARE LIKE LOSING OLD FRIENDS.
I GO TO MISS ROBIN IN THE SHOE DEPARTMENT AND ANGIE IS OUR FAVORITE WAITRESS AND FRANK'S IN THE WIG DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE DEVASTATED ABOUT IT.
HUELL>> SO, YOU KNOW -- THIS ISN'T JUST A BUILDING.
>> NO.
NO, IT'S PEOPLE.
HUELL>> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
AND THEY'RE VERY NICE AND COURTEOUS.
IT'S LIKE LOSING OLD FRIENDS.
IN FACT, I ASKED ANGIE TO LET US KNOW WHERE SHE'S GOING TO BE SERVING BECAUSE WE'RE VERY FOND OF HER.
HUELL>> WELL, THEY CALL IT PROGRESS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT THOUGH SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO GO BACKWARDS A LITTLE BIT, I THINK.
>> I JUST CAME BY TODAY TO SAY GOODBYE TO A VERY DEAR AND SPECIAL FRIEND.
I GOT MUCH OF MY TROUSSEAU HERE 36 YEARS AGO AND THIS WONDERFUL STORE HAS BEEN SUCH A PART OF MY LIFE.
AND I'M TERRIBLY SAD TO SEE IT GO AND TODAY I DON'T NEED ANYTHING, BUT SOMETHING COMPELLED ME TO COME HERE TO GET ONE LAST PIECE FROM BULLOCKS WILSHIRE TO REMEMBER HER BY.
HUELL>> WELL, YOU SAY HER AS IF SHE WAS A LIVING, BREATHING -- >> DEFINITELY WAS LIVING, BREATHING, PART OF US.
HUELL>> NOW, HERE'S A FELLOW SITTING HERE.
NOW, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.
>> MY WHOLE WORLD IS CRUMBLING.
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE -- MY FAVORITE STORE, MY OPHTHALMOLOGIST HAS MOVED TO LANCASTER.
MY BUTCHER IS RETIRED.
ALL MY PEOPLE ARE GOING AWAY, BUT I GUESS LIFE WILL GO ON.
HUELL>> WHAT ARE YOU THINKING RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND ABOUT THIS STORE AND ALL THE HISTORY AND ALL THE PEOPLE YOU'VE SEEN COME -- ALL YOUR CUSTOMERS OVER THE YEARS.
>> WE'VE HAD -- I'VE HAD PATRONS COME IN YESTERDAY IN TEARS, HUGGING ME, KISSING ME ON BOTH CHEEKS.
OH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY, REALLY.
HUELL>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM?
>> THAT WE HAVE SURVIVED SO MUCH AND WE'LL JUST MEET IN ONE OF OUR OTHER MAGNUM STORES.
>> I'VE KNOWN A LOT OF WONDERFUL PATRONS, A LOT OF FRIENDS.
I'VE MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS FROM PATRONS AND THEY'LL -- I'LL STAY IN TOUCH WITH AS MANY AS I CAN.
HUELL>> WELL, YOU KNOW, SO MANY TIMES WE TALK ABOUT THE ARCHITECTURE WHICH IS MAGNIFICENT, BUT IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE A STORE, ISN'T IT?
>> IT'S TRUE.
IT'S TRUE.
AND THERE WAS A SPECIAL BREED AND A SPECIAL CLASS OF PEOPLE THAT SHOPPED HERE AND THEY WON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO GO.
HUELL>> THERE'S ALSO A SPECIAL BREED OF PEOPLE WHO WORKED HERE.
I'M MEETING THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 30 OR 40 YEARS.
>> YES.
AND SOME OF THEM ARE -- THEY'RE DEVASTATED, SO.
>> THIS IS MY 42ND YEAR.
HUELL>> FORTY-SECOND YEAR IN THIS STORE?
>> WAY BEFORE YOU WERE BORN.
HUELL>> REALLY.
>> RIGHT IN THIS CORNER.
HUELL>> THAT IS AMAZING.
SO, YOU'VE SEEN ALL THE CHANGES TAKE PLACE.
>> I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHANGES AND I'VE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
HUELL>> YOU DON'T SOUND TOO UPBEAT RIGHT NOW.
>> NO, I'M A LITTLE SAD.
HUELL>> NOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE 42 YEARS.
HOW DOES THIS BUILDING GROW ON YOU.
HOW DOES THIS PLACE GET UNDER YOUR SKIN?
>> WELL, IT'S A HOME AWAY FROM HOME.
TO ME IT'S -- NOW THAT I'M GOING TO LEAVE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S TAKEN AWAY FROM ME.
HUELL>> YEAH.
DO YOU FEEL FUNNY WALKING IN ONE OF THESE MODERN DEPARTMENT STORES THAT DON'T HAVE ALL THIS.
>> WELL, YOU SEE THE THING ABOUTHIS STORE, IT WAS BUILT DURING AN ERA OF MAHOGANY AND VELVET.
THE MODERN ARCHITECTURE TODAY IS PLASTIC AND CHROME.
SO, THE DIFFERENCE IS, IT'S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE.
THIS HAS AN AURORA ALL OF ITS OWN.
HUELL>> YOU'RE BEEN SPOILED FOR 42 YEARS, HAVEN'T YOU?
>> YES, I HAVE.
AND I'M GOING TO DIE ON THE VINE NOW THAT IT'S NOT HERE.
IT'S NOT AVAILABLE.
HUELL>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN DIE ON THE VINE?
>> WELL, I'VE LOT SOMETHING THAT'S A PART OF ME.
HUELL>> IS IT REALLY PART OF YOU?
>> YEP.
I'M GETTING SENTIMENTAL HERE SO DON'T TALK TO ME ANYMORE.
I'VE LOST -- I'VE LOST PART OF ME, YEAH.
>> I HAVE BEEN A BULLOCKS GIRL SINCE 1961.
HUELL>> A BULLOCKS GIRL.
>> SINCE 1961.
HUELL>> NOW, TELL ME WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.
>> WELL, IT TO US HAS BEEN A HOME AWAY FROM HOME BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN TREATED ROYALLY, VERY ROYALLY.
AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU I AM SICK INSIDE.
IF I'M SPEAKING IT'S BECAUSE GOD GIVES ME THE STRENGTH TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.
BUT I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY 30 YEARS AND RIGHT NOW I'M JUST FEELING SHIVERED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T -- YOU CAN'T REPLACE THESE STORES AND THESE JOBS IN A POSITION WHICH I'M IN.
I'LL BE 72 ON THE NINTH OF THIS MONTH SO YOU KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO BE FOR ME IF I HAVE TO FIND A JOB.
HUELL>> UH-HUH.
>> AND IT'S -- I LOVE IT HERE.
THAT'S ALL I CAN SAY.
HUELL>> WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR STORE, THIS BEAUTIFUL STORE?
>> WELL, IT'S THE HERITAGE OF A COMPANY.
THIS STORE HAS NEVER BEEN DUPLICATED, NOT EVEN THE ONE DOWNTOWN WHERE I WORKED FOR 23½ YEARS.
PUT SEVEN TOGETHER WITH THAT HOW MANY YEARS IS IT, 30, RIGHT?
HUELL>> YEAH.
>> THIRTY AND A HALF.
HUELL>> LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL SIGHT YOU HAVE EVERY DAY STANDING HERE AT YOUR COUNTER, WHAT YOU SEE.
>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO COME TO WORK.
HUELL>> ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS -- WHAT ARE THEY SAYING TO YOU?
>> OH, THEY'RE SICK.
THEY'RE SICK ABOUT THE WHOLE AFFAIR.
VERY SICK.
ONE OF THEM CAME AND CRIED AND CRIED AND CRIED ON MY SHOULDER.
SHE SAYS, "WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO SHOPPING?"
WE'VE BEEN HERE SINCE WE WERE LITTLE GIRLS.
WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM?
NOTHING.
YOU CAN'T.
THERE AREN'T ANY WORDS TO EXPLAIN IT, REALLY.
DO YOU THINK SO?
THANK YOU.
HUELL>> THANK YOU.
>> IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TALKING TO YOU.
AND YOU.
THANK YOU.
HUELL>> NOW, HERE IS THE MAIN ELEVATOR MAN, RIGHT HERE.
HI.
NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
HUELL>> NOW, YOU DON'T SEE MANY ELEVATOR OPERATORS ANYMORE.
>> I'M THE LAST ONE.
THE LAST ONE.
HUELL>> HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN HERE?
>> THIRTY-FIVE.
THIRTY-FIVE YEARS.
HUELL>> THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN BULLOCKS WILSHIRE?
>> BULLOCKS WILSHIRE AND I. MAGNUM.
HUELL>> REALLY.
>> ALL TOGETHER.
I CAME FROM DOWNTOWN AND THEY CLOSED UP IN '73.
AND THEN I CAME HERE.
I'VE WORKED FROM '73 AT BULLOCKS WILSHIRE AND I. MAGNUM.
HUELL>> NOW, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT LEAVING?
ABOUT THE STORE CLOSING?
>> VERY SAD.
VERY SAD.
THE PEOPLE ARE VERY HAPPY.
THE PEOPLE COME CAN HERE AND THEY COME HERE AND LOOK AT THE CEILING AND SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS AND THEY GO -- OH, THEY SAY IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
AND THEN THEY SEE THEIR FRIENDS AND THEY SAY, OH, COME GO TO THE TEA ROOM AND HAVE TEA.
HUELL>> UH-HUH.
>> AND IT'S VERY, VERY CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO SHOP.
VERY NICE PLACE TO SHOP.
AND AS I SAY THE ELEVATOR MAN WILL NEVER DIE.
HE'LL JUST FADE AWAY.
THIS IS THE LAST ELEVATOR OPERATOR.
HUELL>> ARE YOU THE LAST ONE?
>> I REALLY ENJOYED IT.
REALLY ENJOYED IT.
EVERY BIT OF IT.
HUELL>> AND NOW WE'RE BACK FOR A VERY SUCCESSFUL UPDATE.
LESLIE>> YES, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY FINISHED WHAT WE CALL THE FIRST PHASE OF THE RESTORATION AND ADAPTATION OF THIS GORGEOUS LANDMARK.
WE SPENT A NUMBER OF MONTHS JUST UPGRADING THE CORE ELEMENTS OF THE BUILDING, THINGS YOU WOULD NEVER SEE.
THE MECHANICAL, THE LIGHT SAFETY SYSTEMS AND THAT KIND OF THING.
THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF WORK THAT HAD TO BE DONE AND THEN WHAT WE'D LOVE TO SHOW YOU TODAY IS OUR JEWEL.
WE'VE TRANSFORMED ABOUT 80,000 SQUARE FEET OF THIS BUILDING ON THE BASEMENT, FIRST, SECOND AND MEZZANINE LEVELS FOR OUR LAW LIBRARY AND IT IS SPECTACULAR.
HUELL>> THIS WAS A DAY THAT I THOUGHT WOULD NEVER COME.
I KEPT CALLING YOU, DIDN'T I?
LESLIE>> YES, YOU DID.
HUELL>> I KEPT SAYING LESLIE, WHEN IS THIS GOING TO BE FINISHED?
WHEN CAN WE COME OVER?
WHEN CAN WE TAKE A TOUR?
LESLIE>> WELL, AND I PROMISED YOU THAT IT REALLY WOULD HAPPEN AND SO I'M VERY GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.
HUELL>> YOU'VE GOT A, KIND OF A LITTLE ENTOURAGE OUT HERE FOR US TO MEET.
HI, I'M HUELL HOWSER.
CHUCK>> CHUCK ACEVEDO, PUEBLO CONTRACTING.
HUELL>> NOW, YOU'RE THE CONTRACTING SERVICE THAT DID ALL THIS RESTORATION.
CHUCK>> THAT IS CORRECT.
LINDA>> LINDA WISMAN.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE LAW LIBRARY.
HUELL>> DIRECTOR OF THE LAW LIBRARY.
JANICE>> JANICE MANUS, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
HUELL>> NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE THREE OF YOU ALL HAVE KIND OF BEEN WORKING KIND OF IN CAHOOTS FAIRLY CLOSELY TOGETHER OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO.
CHUCK>> MANY, MANY HOURS.
HUELL>> HAS IT BEEN A TOTALLY PLEASURABLE EXPERIENCE ALL THE WAY AROUND OR THERE WERE SOME ROUGH SPOTS OR SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED ALONG THE WAY?
>> WELL, WE HAD SOME UNEXPECTED THINGS COME UP, BUT THROUGH IT ALL, I THINK, WE WERE ABLE TO PROBLEM SOLVE VERY WELL TOGETHER.
HUELL>> SO, NOW IT'S READY FOR US TO ACTUALLY GO INSIDE.
AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY EXCITING FOR OUR VIEWERS BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WHAT A SPECIAL PLACE THE OLD BULLOCKS WILSHIRE HAD IN THE HEARTS OF SO MANY PEOPLE HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
IT'S BEEN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS NOW AND NOW WE'RE READY TO GO BEHIND THE DOORS AND SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND YOU'VE DONE AND YOU'VE DONE TO THE OLD BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
SO, ARE WE READY FOR THE TOUR?
AND THE FIRST THING I NOTICE IS THAT THE MURAL OR WHAT IS THIS CALLED UP HERE?
>> IT'S CALLED THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPORTATION AND IT WAS DONE BY HERMAN STOCKS IN 1929.
IT WAS RESTORED IN 1978 AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING -- IT DIDN'T REQUIRE ANYTHING FOR RIGHT NOW.
HUELL>> SO, EVERYTHING OUT HERE ON THE WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS PLACE?
>> THIS IS THE PORTE-COCHERE.
HUELL>> PORTE-COCHERE.
I NEVER CAN REMEMBER THAT.
THAT'S ALL KIND OF BASICALLY THE SAME AS IT ALWAYS WAS.
>> RIGHT.
THERE WAS A CANOPY THAT HAD BEEN ADDED AT SOME POINT OUT HERE WHICH WE TOOK DOWN TO RESTORE IT TO THE ORIGINAL CONDITION.
HUELL>> OKAY.
THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL DOORS.
BEAUTIFUL OLD DOORS AND I'M EXCITED.
I HAVEN'T BEEN INSIDE.
COME ON LESLIE.
OKAY.
WE ARE INSIDE AND REALLY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ALL THE COUNTERS THAT WERE OUT HERE, THE BUILDING IS EXACTLY THE WAY IT USED TO LOOK.
LESLIE>> CORRECT.
ACTUALLY, HUELL, THIS WAS KNOWN AS THE PERFUME HALL WHEN THE STORE WAS OPENED AND IT'S NOW BECOME THE MAIN ENTRY FOR OUR LIBRARY.
WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THIS AREA.
ONE OF THEM WAS TO RESTORE THE CEILING AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO WAS GO BACK THROUGH THE AGES AND REALLY GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING PAINT AND TAKE OFF SEVERAL LAYERS IN THE PROCESS AND WHAT WE DID FROM THERE WAS MATCH EACH PAINT COLOR SO THAT WE REALLY RECREATED THE COLORS THAT WERE HERE IN 1929.
HUELL>> AND ALL OF THIS LIGHTING IS THE SAME.
IT'S -- WHAT KIND OF ARCHITECTURE IS THIS, MODERN?
LESLIE>> ART DECO ARCHITECTURE.
HUELL>> ART DECO.
WELL, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
THIS IS ALL THE ORIGINAL MARBLE.
ALL THE ORIGINAL LIGHTING.
NOW, THE GUY FROM PUEBLO, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING IN HERE REALLY, DID YOU?
CHUCK>> NO.
THIS WAS OUT OF OUR SCOPE.
OUR WORK STARTS BEHIND THE GLASS DOORS.
HUELL>> OKAY.
LET'S GO BEHIND THE GLASS DOORS.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE LIBRARY.
LESLIE>> YES, IT IS.
HUELL>> AH, NOW HERE ARE THE GLASS DOORS.
THIS IS NEW, BUT BEHIND HERE -- >> THIS IS OUR MAIN REFERENCE ROOM.
IN HERE WE HAVE OUR CIRCULATION DESK, OUR REFERENCE DESK THINKING THAT PEOPLE ARE THE CENTRAL PART OF LIBRARY SERVICES, BUT THIS WAS A VERY HISTORIC ROOM WITH OUR SPIRIT OF SPORTS MURAL, THE JACQUES PETERS' CLOCK, THESE COLUMNS THAT HAVE BEEN RECREATED PATTERNED AFTER THE ORIGINAL COLUMNS THAT HAD BEEN LONG SINCE REMOVED.
HUELL>> NOW, HERE'S THE OLD -- HERE'S THIS WONDERFUL, WHAT DID YOU CALL THIS?
>> THE SPIRIT OF SPORTS MURAL BY JURES STOYANO.
IT'S A SERBO- CROATIAN ARTIST.
IT WAS ORIGINAL TO THE BUILDING.
THE WORK THAT WE COMPLETED ON IT WAS TO STABILIZE IT BY PATCHING SOME OF THE CRACKS THAT HAD HAPPENED IN THE NORTHRIDGE EARTHQUAKE.
HUELL>> LOOKS A LITTLE CLEANER.
>> AND WE CLEANED IT.
AND WE CLEANED IT.
HUELL>> THE COLORS ARE REALLY BEAUTIFUL NOW.
AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE TOO IN THESE COLUMNS HERE, YOU'VE PUT -- YOU'VE PUT LIGHT IN THERE.
>> RIGHT.
ORIGINALLY WE LOOKED AT THE 1929 PHOTOGRAPHS.
THIS WHOLE PROJECT BEGAN WITH A VERY CAREFUL STUDY BY THE ARCHITECTS AT ALTUNA AND PORTER OF THE ORIGINAL FACILITY.
THEY WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BUILDING AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE COLUMNS LOOKING VERY SIMILAR TO THESE THAT WERE LONG GONE AND THEY RECREATED THEM OUT OF SYCAMORE WHICH WAS THE ORIGINAL WOOD PANELING THAT WAS USED IN THE BUILDING WITH THE SIMILAR COPPER BANDING AND THEN THE ACRYLIC LIGHT PANELS.
HUELL>> AND THE LIGHT PANELS HERE IN THE CEILING, THESE ARE ALL ORIGINAL.
>> ORIGINAL.
SOME OF THEM HAVE NEW PANES PUT IN THEM, BUT IT'S THE ORIGINAL FIXTURE.
HUELL>> AND LOOK OVER HERE, LOUIE.
HERE IS ONE OF THE -- ONE OF THE GRAND OLD CLOCKS THAT IS TOTALLY RESTORED.
>> EXACTLY.
AGAIN WHAT WE DID HERE -- THE RED WEDGE THAT YOU SEE THERE ON THE BOTTOM, THAT WE WENT BACK TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ORIGINAL COLOR WAS.
IT WAS WHITE IN THE LAST YEAR AND WE JUST REMOVED THE LAYERS AND DETERMINED THAT THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL COLOR.
HUELL>> SO, REALLY IN A WAY, NOT ONLY HAVE YOU MODERNIZED IT AND TRANSFORMED IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT IN THE PROCESS YOU'VE GONE BACK IN MANY INSTANCES TO THE VERY BEGINNING TO RESTORE IT TO THE WAY IT WAS WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT.
>> THAT'S TRUE.
EXACTLY.
HUELL>> THINGS THAT PEOPLE IN THE LATTER YEARS HAD EVEN FORGOTTEN EXISTED BACK IN THOSE YEARS.
>> ONE EXAMPLE IS THIS STORE FRONT -- THIS WINDOW RIGHT HERE.
WHEN THE STORE CLOSED, THERE WAS A SOLID WALL ACROSS THIS WHOLE AREA AND WHEN THE WALL CAME DOWN, THE PANELING WAS THERE, THE ACRYLIC PANEL IN THE CEILING THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL.
ALL OF THAT WAS ALL SORT OF BURIED.
WITH PUEBLO'S CAREFUL DEMOLITION, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IT BACK.
HUELL>> NOW.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DEMOLITION, THAT'S ALMOST A FRIGHTENING WORD TO USE IN A PLACE THIS PRECIOUS.
CHUCK>> VERY, VERY SELECTIVE.
VERY SELECTIVE DEMOLITION.
HUELL>> HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT THAT?
CHUCK>> VERY, VERY SLOWLY.
LAYER BY LAYER WE REMOVE PANELS, WE REMOVE OLD LAYERS JUST TO BASICALLY SEE WHAT'S UNDER THEM SO THAT WE DON'T DESTROY THE EXISTING FABRIC OF THE BUILDING AS WE GO.
HUELL>> UH-HUH.
AND WERE YOU EVER SURPRISED AT WHAT YOU FOUND WHEN YOU STARTED PEELING AWAY?
CHUCK>> I DON'T THINK SURPRISED WOULD DESCRIBE IT.
IT'S LIKE OPENING UP A JEWEL BOX IS WHAT IT WAS LIKE.
HUELL>> YEAH.
AND HERE THEY ARE HARD AT WORK.
HOWDY.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING, SIR?
NICE TO MEET YOU.
HUELL>> HOW ARE YOU DOING?
WELL, WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS STUDYING LAW?
>> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND IT MAKES IT, I THINK, MUCH EASIER TO ACTUALLY STUDY TO BE QUITE HONEST.
HUELL>> DID YOU KNOW THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS BUILDING BEFORE YOU CAME HERE AS A STUDENT.
>> NO, REALLY I DIDN'T KNOW A THING ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK THIS SCHOOL IS GOING TO DO A LOT.
THIS LIBRARY HAS DONE A LOT FOR OUR SCHOOL.
THE REPUTATION IN THE CITY.
HUELL>> REALLY.
SO, YOU NEVER CAME IN HERE WHEN IT WAS THE OLD BULLOCKS WILSHIRE?
>> NO.
I'VE ONLY BEEN IN L.A. FOR ABOUT A YEAR.
HUELL>> OH, OKAY.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN HERE WHEN IT WAS A DEPARTMENT STORE?
>> NO, I HAVEN'T.
HUELL>> HAD YOU EVER BEEN IN HERE?
>> YES.
HUELL>> YOU HAD.
>> YES.
HUELL>> SO, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT USED TO BE IN THIS ROOM?
>> I DON'T REMEMBER.
I THINK PERFUMES OR COSMETICS SOMETHING WERE RIGHT IN HERE OR OVER THERE, BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A LONG TIME.
HUELL>> YOU CAME HERE WITH YOUR MOM SHOPPING?
>> YEAH.
YEP.
YEP.
HUELL>> YOU DON'T SOUND VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
SHE DRAGGED YOU ALONG, RIGHT?
>> I HAD NEVER BEEN HERE EITHER BEFORE STARTING ATTENDANCE HERE AT THE LAW SCHOOL.
HUELL>> REALLY.
>> I'VE JUST FROM WHAT I'VE READ, BUT IT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN MY DECISION IN ATTENDING THIS SCHOOL THOUGH BECAUSE IT WAS JUST READING THE BROCHURE THAT THEY PROVIDED WITH THE APPLICATION TO SCHOOL IT WAS VERY INTRIGUING.
HUELL>> THE QUALITY OF THE LAW LIBRARY.
>> NOT ONLY THE QUALITY, BUT THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND ALL THE CREATIVITY.
IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO STUDY AND I DON'T HAVE GREAT STUDY HABITS, BUT THEY'RE GETTING BETTER NOW THAT THE LIBRARY IS OPEN.
HUELL>> YEAH.
WELL IT'S A VERY COMFORTABLE.
LOOK AT THIS LOUIE, IT'S JUST A VERY COMFORTABLE LOOKING ROOM HERE.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT FOR THE OLD BULLOCKS WILSHIRE SHOPPERS, IT'S GOING TO BRING BACK A LOT OF WONDERFUL MEMORIES.
>> YES, IT WILL.
HUELL>> THESE KIDS ARE ALL TOO YOUNG TO REMEMBER.
LET'S MOVE ON.
GOOD LUCK.
>> IT'S INTERESTING THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE A WHOLE NEW HISTORY NOW.
HUELL>> SURE.
OH, OKAY.
NOW LOOK AT THE WALL.
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL WORK UP ON THE WALL.
>> RIGHT.
IT'S CALLED THE HUNT BY MEYER KRIEG AND BASICALLY IT WAS JUST PAINTED, I BELIEVE.
HUELL>> SO, HERE IT IS OVER HERE.
AND LOOK OVER HERE, LOUIE.
HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
I HAD NEVER EVEN SEEN THIS OVER HERE.
HAS THIS ALWAYS BEEN HERE?
>> WELL, I THINK THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS ALL THE LIGHT THAT WE NOW LET INTO THE BUILDING AND NEW LIGHT FIXTURES.
IT WAS ALWAYS THERE.
MAYBE THE LIGHT WASN'T QUITE AS GOOD.
HUELL>> IT WAS DARKER IN HERE.
>> RIGHT, IT WAS A LOT DARKER.
HUELL>> AND THE FLOOR.
IS THIS ORIGINAL?
>> THIS WAS ORIGINAL IT HAD BEEN COVERED UP TO ABOUT HERE AND IT WAS ALL RESTORED TO THE ORIGINAL.
HUELL>> WOW.
SO, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU UNCOVERED?
CHUCK>> YES, WE DID.
THIS WAS ANOTHER ONE OF OUR FINDS.
THIS WAS COVERED WITH LAYERS OF PLASTER AND OLD CEMENT.
>> YOU NEVER WOULD HAVE BELIEVED IT COULD LOOK THIS GOOD.
HUELL>> ALL RIGHT.
NOW, WE'RE GOING BACK INTO THE STACKS.
THERE'S ANOTHER GREAT OLD CLOCK AND THIS USED TO BE -- WHAT WAS THIS?
>> THIS WAS STATIONARY RIGHT HERE AND OVER HERE WE HAD GIFTWARE AND THEN THIS WAS A CEILING THAT ACTUALLY WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
IT WAS NOT DOCUMENTED.
THIS WAS THE FORMER ANTIQUE SHOP AND -- HUELL>> SO, WHAT WAS THIS JUST TOTALLY COVERED OVER?
>> RIGHT.
THERE WAS A LOW SUSPENDED ACOUSTICAL CEILING AND THEN WHEN THAT CAME DOWN, WE HAD THIS CEILING, ALTHOUGH YOU WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE IT IN THIS CONDITION.
IT HAD BEEN SHOT THROUGH WITH THE SUPPORTS FOR THE SUSPENDED CEILING.
SO, IT'S REALLY A TRIBUTE THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
HUELL>> LET'S GO ON DOWN HERE BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY NICE.
NOW, THIS WAS -- THESE ARE -- THIS IS NEW.
THIS IS NEW.
>> THOSE WERE DRESSING ROOMS AND NOW THEY'RE THE OFFICES FOR OUR REFERENCE LIBRARY.
HUELL>> AH, OKAY.
AND THIS IS THE OH, YEAH.
SEE THIS IS THE GREAT -- THIS IS A GREAT SPACE RIGHT HERE.
>> THIS CARPET IS PATTERNED AFTER THE ORIGINAL CARPETS.
AGAIN, FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHS WE COULD SEE THAT THERE WERE GEOMETRIC PATTERNS AND AGAIN JIM OLDEN AND SYLVIA FREEMAN AT ALTUNA AND PORTER, DEVELOPED THIS USING A REGULAR COMMERCIAL CARPET AND OVERTUFTING INSTEAD OF THE ORIGINAL CUSTOM, BUT IT HAS A LOT OF THE SAME IMPACT.
HUELL>> WE'VE GOT A NICE STRAIGHT SHOT DOWN HERE AND THEN LOOK OVER HERE, LOUIE.
YOU'RE LOOKING STRAIGHT ON OUT INTO THE ORIGINAL ENTRANCE HALL THAT WE CAME INTO.
>> YOU NOTICED THEY USED BRONZE AND -- BRONZE AND GLASS, ALL THE ORIGINAL MATERIALS IN THE BUILDING.
HUELL>> AND DOWN HERE WAS THAT WONDERFUL LITTLE ROOM WITH THE PALM, THE GRASS PALM TREES.
>> THE PALMS ARE NOT BEEN PUT BACK IN YET.
WE WILL.
THIS LIGHT FIXTURE IS ONE OF THE ORIGINALS AND IT WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS RETURNED BY MACY'S.
HUELL>> AND THIS WAS THE MEN'S DEPARTMENT IN HERE WITH THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT LOOKING BLOCK CONSTRUCTION.
>> RIGHT.
AGAIN, THE CARPETING IN HERE IS A RECREATION OF THE 1929 CARPETING AND IT REALLY WAS QUITE A PROCESS TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE THE ONLY THING WE COULD BASE IT ON WAS BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS AND WE HAD TO SORT OF READ MATERIALS TO GET THE COLORATION.
HUELL>> THIS IS FUN.
LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO WALK DOWN THROUGH THE STACKS HERE.
THIS IS GREAT.
I DIDN'T -- YOU KNOW WHAT, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS GOING -- I HAD AN IDEA IT WAS GOING TO LOOK NICE.
I HAD NO IDEA IT WAS GOING TO BE THIS -- OH, WONDERFUL.
LOOK AT THIS ROOM.
ISN'T THIS GREAT?
>> BEAUTIFUL.
AND AGAIN WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE OF OUR HISTORIC CLOCKS HERE WHICH HAS BEEN RESTORED.
HUELL>> OH, BOY.
>> THIS AREA HOUSES OUR CALIFORNIA LAW COLLECTION SO IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY WELL-USED SECTION OF THE LIBRARY.
HUELL>> I AM JUST OVERWHELMED AT HOW WELL IT HAS ADAPTED ITSELF.
>> THERE WAS A LOT OF EFFORT THAT WENT INTO ESPECIALLY PAINTING THIS ROOM TO GET THE SHADING EXACTLY RIGHT.
SYLVIA WALL, OUR ARCHITECT, SPENT ENDLESS HOURS LOOKING AT VARIOUS SAMPLES TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAD EXACTLY THE RIGHT EFFECT AND I THINK IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE.
HUELL>> NOW, OUR CONSTRUCTION GUY OVER HERE IS BEAMING FROM EAR TO EAR.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF YOUR PRIDE AND JOYS HERE.
CHUCK>> THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ROOMS HERE.
A LOT OF HOURS WENT INTO MATCHING THE COLOR, GETTING THE RIGHT SHADING AS LINDA WAS SAYING ON THE PAINT COLOR AND RESTORING THE TILES.
HUELL>> LET'S GO DOWN AND LOOK AT THESE TILES BECAUSE THESE ARE QUITE BEAUTIFUL TILES.
ORIGINAL TILES.
CHUCK>> ORIGINAL TILES.
WE REMOVED SEVERAL, RECAST THEM AND PUT THEM BACK IN PLACE.
TOOK OUT THE DAMAGED TILES.
HUELL>> OH, BOY.
THIS IS A BUSY PLACE.
>> RIGHT.
SO THIS IS OUR COMPUTER LAB.
WE HAVE -- BETWEEN THESE TWO ROOMS WE HAVE FIFTY NETWORKED COMPUTERS.
OUR STUDENTS CAN ACCESS LEXUS, WEST LAW, THE INTERNET SO THEY CAN DO FULL WEB BROWSING.
YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT.
THEY CAN DO WORD PROCESSING, ANY OTHER KIND OF PROGRAM THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR LAW PRACTICE OR LEARNING ABOUT LAW PRACTICE.
HUELL>> WELL, LET'S WALK OVER AND TALK TO SOME OF THE STUDENTS.
HOW ARE YOU DOING OVER HERE TODAY.
>> JUST FINE, THANK YOU.
HUELL>> WELL, WHAT IS IT LIKE BEING IN A -- WELL, I GUESS THIS IS A NEW PART OF THE OLD BULLOCKS WILSHIRE.
>> RIGHT.
RIGHT.
WELL, IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND IT CERTAINLY, ALTHOUGH THIS MAY SOUND FUNNY, IT MAKES YOU WANT TO STUDY A LITTLE MORE.
HUELL>> YOU'RE KIDDING.
>> WELL, MAYBE A LITTLE.
HUELL>> HAD YOU EVER BEEN IN THE OLD STORE.
>> WELL, I HADN'T BEEN IN THE OLD STORE TO SHOP, BUT I HAD SEEN THE BUILDING PRIOR TO THE RENOVATION.
HUELL>> YOU'D SEEN IT WHEN IT WAS EMPTY.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT.
HUELL>> SO, IS THIS KIND OF A PLEASANT SURPRISE THAT IT TURNED OUT THIS -- >> IT'S BEAUTIFUL, REALLY.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
HUELL>> WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I THINK WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A WONDERFUL INTEGRATION OF A MODERN LAW LIBRARY WITH A BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BUILDING BUILT IN 1929.
IT'S GREAT.
IT ALMOST MAKES ME HAPPY THAT I HAVE TWO MORE YEARS TO GRADUATE.
ALMOST.
ALMOST.
HUELL>> OH WOW.
THIS IS THE -- >> IRENE SALON.
HUELL>> IRENE SALON.
THIS IS WHERE -- IS THIS WHERE THEY HAD -- THEY CAME OUT AND MODELED -- >> THERE WERE THREE STEPS HERE.
THERE IS A FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPH OF A WOMAN IN AN EVENING GOWN, ONE OF THE IRENE GIBBONS GOWNS.
HUELL>> OKAY.
THAT'S WHAT THREW ME OFF BECAUSE THESE STAIRS WEREN'T HERE.
WE CAME TO IRENE'S BEFORE THIS WAY.
>> RIGHT.
BUT WE WANTED TO USE THIS AS OUR CENTRAL CORRIDOR.
HUELL>> NOW, I'M NOT SURE.
NOW I'M KIND OF TURNED AROUND.
OH, BOY.
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
>> THIS WAS THE LINGERIE ROOM WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FEMININE INTERPRETATION OF THE ART DECO STYLE.
IT'S NOW OUR FOREIGN AND INTERNATIONAL LAW COLLECTION.
SO WE'VE GOT LOWER STACKS, CUSTOM DESIGNED END PANELS, CUSTOM DESIGNED TABLES.
HUELL>> JUST BEAUTIFUL.
I THINK I LIKE THIS FLOOR ALMOST AS MUCH AS I DO THE FIRST FLOOR.
>> IT'S VERY SPECIAL.
OH, AND WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF THE CARPETS THAT WERE PATTERNED AFTER THE ORIGINAL 1929 CARPET.
HUELL>> YEAH.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS AND LOOK AT THE WAY IT USED TO BE, YOU REALLY -- AGAIN IT WAS BASICALLY THE SAME ISN'T IT?
CHUCK>> YEAH.
IT WAS VERY MUCH THE SAME.
THE COLORS CHANGED.
THE GLASS PANELS WERE RESTORED.
A LOT OF THE BRASS FITTINGS -- HUELL>> LET'S GO LOOK AT THESE PANELS BECAUSE THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL.
CHUCK>> TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THESE FITTINGS, TOO.
THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF DETAILED WORK IN THE RESTORATION PROCESS WITH THEM.
HUELL>> ANOTHER GREAT OLD CLOCK AND THEY ALL WORK, TOO.
CHUCK>> THEY ALL WORK.
THEY'VE ALL BEEN RESTORED.
HUELL>> NOW, THIS IS THAT ORIGINAL ROSE GLASS.
CHUCK>> YES.
HUELL>> DID YOU HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING DOWN AND CLEAN IT.
CHUCK>> A LOT OF IT WAS JUST REFITTED.
SOME WERE REPLACED.
THE BRASS FITTINGS WERE REMILLED.
THERE WERE QUITE A FEW MISSING.
HUELL>> LOOK AT THIS.
THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL BRASS FITTINGS OVER HERE.
CHUCK>> YES THEY ARE.
HUELL>> AND THEN LOOK IN HERE.
THE OLD CHANDELIER AND -- BOY, I'M REALLY LOST NOW.
WHERE ARE WE?
WHERE ARE WE?
>> WELL, WE'RE AT THE BACK OF IRENE'S.
IT WAS DRESSING ROOM AREA AND IT WAS THE ENTRANCE TO THE OLD BEAUTY SALON.
HUELL>> OH, OKAY.
OH, BOY.
WE'RE LOOKING RIGHT OUT ON WILSHIRE BOULEVARD.
OH, LOOK AT THE LINES.
LOOK AT THIS, LOUIE.
THE LINES LOOKING DOWN HERE.
>> WHEN THIS WAS A STORE IT WAS A SERIES OF BOUTIQUES AND, OF COURSE, FOR THE STACKS WE NEEDED THE WIDE OPEN AREA SO WE'VE JUST REMOVED ALL OF THE WALLS EXCEPT FOR THE COLUMNS THAT PROVIDE THE SUPPORT.
HUELL>> BOY, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
LOOK HOW BIG AND LONG IT IS.
>> AND THE STUDY CAROLS TOO, I THINK, ARE BEAUTIFUL AND THEY'RE ALSO VERY FUNCTIONAL.
WE HAVE THE CONVENIENCE OUTLETS FOR LAPTOP COMPUTERS AND ALSO FOR DATA OUTLETS SO FROM ANYWHERE IN THE LIBRARY STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO PLUG INTO ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE ON OUR MAIN LIBRARY SERVER AND ACTUALLY GET OUT ONTO THE INTERNET AND LEXUS AND WEST LAW WHEN THAT'S COMPLETED.
HUELL>> SO, THESE ARE -- THESE WERE LIKE SEVERAL DIFFERENT ROOMS THAT YOU JUST KIND OF OPENED UP.
>> RIGHT.
HUELL>> OH, WOW.
THIS IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.
IT IS SO BIG.
I AM IMPRESSED WITH THE LIGHT, WITH THE WINDOWS, WITH THE SENSE OF WHAT THEY'RE ALL ABOUT.
>> YES.
PREVIOUSLY THESE WERE ALL COVERED UP.
THIS WAS THE BEAUTY SALON AREA AND ALL THIS WAS BACK SPACE AND SO THEY WERE COVERED OVER AND WE REPLACED ALL OF THE -- WE UNCOVERED THEM FIRST OF ALL AND REPLACED ALL OF THE GLASS WHICH WAS OPAQUE TO MAKE IT CLEAR.
HUELL>> BUT THESE ARE THE ORIGINAL FRAMES.
>> ALL OF THE FRAMES ARE ORIGINAL, YES.
THEY'VE BEEN REPAINTED AND RESTORED SO THAT THEY'RE OPERATING PROPERLY AGAIN.
HUELL>> I LOVE THE LINES ON THIS ROOM, WITH THE LIGHTING AND THE WAY THE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF THE CEILING, IT'S REALLY DONE VERY WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
HUELL>> DO YOU GET ANYBODY WHO IS NOT JUST OVERWHELMED WHEN THEY COME IN HERE?
>> NOT SO FAR.
NOT SO FAR.
HUELL>> OKAY.
NOW, WHERE'S THIS HOUSE OF BEAUTY THING.
I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
>> THIS WAS THE BEAUTY SALON AND -- HUELL>> RIGHT HERE.
>> RIGHT.
AND ALL AROUND THESE EDGES THERE WERE INDIVIDUAL SORT OF ROOMS.
HUELL>> LOOK AT THE MURAL HERE, LOUIE, OVER ON THIS SIDE.
>> THE MURAL WAS PAINTED BY ELIZABETH DUQUETTE IN THE LATE '40S, EARLY '50S AND ELIZABETH DUQUETTE, I GUESS, ALSO DID ALL OF THE PAINTINGS THAT WERE SUPPOSEDLY DONE BY ELIZABETH TAYLOR IN THE MOVIE THE SANDPIPER.
HUELL>> AH, OKAY.
NOW, WE'RE COMING INTO AN AREA HERE ON THE SECOND FLOOR THAT HAS NOT BEEN UPGRADED OR RENOVATED OR RESTORED OR WHATEVER FROM PHASE I.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THIS IS IN OUR NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT WE PLAN TO DO IN THIS AREA IS IN THE LOUIS XVI ROOM WE PLAN TO REALLY KEEP THAT PRETTY MUCH AS IS.
WE'LL RESTORE THE FIXTURES WHICH WE HAVE AND PROBABLY UTILIZE IT AS AN EVENT ROOM.
HUELL>> LOOK AT THE WALL UP HERE.
ALL THE WORK, THE GRILLE WORK AND ALL OF THAT, IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
>> ALL OF THE ORIGINAL WORK AND WE'VE DONE SOME TOUCHING UP IN THIS ROOM JUST TO MAKE IT LOOK VERY CLOSE TO ITS FORMER LOOK.
HUELL>> AND NOW WE'RE GOING INTO A ROOM THAT'S DARK, BUT I REMEMBER THIS BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ROOMS WHEN WE WENT ON THE INITIAL TOUR.
THIS WAS THE LOUIS THE -- >> THIS IS THE LA DIRECTOIS ROOM.
HUELL>> AH, THAT'S RIGHT.
>> YES.
AND THIS ROOM WAS USED MAINLY FOR SITTING AND CLOTHING WOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE PATRONS TO VIEW AND TO SELECT.
HUELL>> AND HERE IS THE FIREPLACE AND THESE ORIGINAL PAINTINGS THAT ARE STILL ON THE WALL ALL THE WAY AROUND.
>> THE ORIGINAL -- EXACTLY, THEY'RE STILL HERE.
HUELL>> NOW, THIS WILL BE RESTORED AT SOME POINT.
>> AGAIN, THIS IS THE NEXT PHASE OF DEVELOPMENT.
IT WILL BE RESTORED AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THE LIGHT FIXTURES AND FURNITURE WHICH WE HOPE TO UTILIZE IN THIS AREA.
HUELL>> NOW, DOES THIS GET YOU SALIVATING THINKING ABOUT GETTING IN HERE AND GETTING TO WORK?
CHUCK>> YES.
PHASE II DOES.
YES, QUITE EXCITING.
HUELL>> SO, HOW HARD WOULD IT BE TO BRING THIS BACK UP TO SNUFF?
CHUCK>> IT WOULDN'T BE TOO DIFFICULT.
IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME.
IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME TO PEEL OFF SOME OF THE OLD LAYERS AND MATCH THE COLORS AND RESTORE SOME OF THE PAINT FINISHES.
HUELL>> BUT THE NICE THING ABOUT IT IS THAT BASICALLY THESE ROOMS WERE WELL-TAKEN CARE OF, WELL-BUILT AND HAVE ALL KINDS OF POTENTIAL TO THEM.
>> THEY CERTAINLY DO.
THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE FOUND ABOUT THE BUILDING.
IT'S VERY FORGIVING.
THE LITTLE CARE THAT WE'VE GIVEN IT, A LITTLE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE, IT'S REALLY GIVEN MUCH MORE BACK TO US.
HUELL>> YEAH.
BECAUSE HERE'S THE ROOM IN HERE.
THIS HASN'T REALLY BEEN RESTORED.
THERE IS THE LIBRARY BEHIND THE GLASS OVER THERE THAT HAS BEEN RESTORED.
HERE'S THE ROOM THAT HASN'T BEEN RESTORED AND EVEN NOW, IT STILL LOOKS NICE IN HERE.
LESLIE>> THANK YOU.
HUELL>> HOW WELL-BUILT WAS THIS BUILDING TO START WITH WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY BUILT IT?
CHUCK>> THIS BUILDING IS EXTREMELY SOUND.
STRUCTURAL STEEL AND CONCRETE HAD VIRTUALLY ZERO EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE AND YOU HAVE TO FIGURE HOW MANY EARTHQUAKES IT'S BEEN THROUGH.
OTHER THAN COSMETIC DAMAGE, THAT'S ALL THAT WE BASICALLY -- THE ONLY EARTHQUAKE REPAIRS THAT WE DID HERE.
HUELL>> NOW, IS THIS LIGHTING RIGHT UP ABOVE US -- IS THAT ORIGINAL LIGHTING OR IS THAT NEW?
CHUCK>> THE LIGHT FIXTURES ARE NEW.
THE LENSES HAVE BEEN RESTORED AND REPAINTED WITH NEW ACRYLIC LENSES PLACED.
HUELL>> SEE THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS IS AFTER A WHILE, YOU REALLY CAN'T TELL WHAT WAS ORIGINAL AND WHAT IS NEW AND UPDATED.
>> I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO BEAUTIFUL AND NOT FEELING AS MUCH LIKE YOU'RE IN A MUSEUM BUT A REAL LIVING PLACE.
HUELL>> YEAH.
OKAY.
NOW, WE'RE BACK DOWN ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
WE'RE COMING BACK WHERE WE STARTED THE TOUR AND LESLIE THIS IS -- YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY YOU WANT US TO MEET OVER HERE.
LESLIE>> I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET A VERY HAPPY MAN TODAY.
THIS IS LEE TAYLOR WHO IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST EXCITED PEOPLE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PULL THIS OFF AND WE HAVE THIS GORGEOUS LIBRARY AND I'M SURE HE HAD A NUMBER OF SLEEPLESS NIGHTS BEFORE NOW.
HUELL>> YOU'RE JUST GLAD IT'S FINISHED.
LEE>> JUST ABOUT FINISHED.
HUELL>> PHASE I IS FINISHED.
LEE>> PHASE I IS FINISHED, RIGHT.
HUELL>> WELL, I MUST TELL YOU.
I MUST COMPLEMENT YOU.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I EXPECTED, BUT IT HAS BEEN DONE WITH SUCH CLASS AND SUCH GRACE AND HAS RETAINED SO MUCH OF WHAT I THINK SO MANY PEOPLE LOVED ABOUT THIS ORIGINAL BUILDING.
YOU HAVE TO BE VERY PROUD OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE HERE.
LEE>> OH, I REALLY AM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMPLEMENTS.
EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THE BUILDING, OUR ARCHITECTS, DESIGNERS, PUEBLO CONTRACTING AND JANICE AND LINDA HAVE DONE JUST A MARVELOUS JOB.
IT'S BETTER THAN I EXPECTED.
HUELL>> WHAT HAD YOU HOPED TO ACCOMPLISH WHEN YOU STARTED OUT?
LEE>> WELL, WE CERTAINLY HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO PRESERVE ALL THE IMPORTANT HISTORIC ASPECTS OF THE BUILDING AND INSTALL STATE-OF- THE-ART LIBRARY.
AND AS WE KEPT PROGRESSING, IT WAS REAL CLEAR THAT WE COULD DO BOTH EXTREMELY WELL AND THAT THEY BOTH WERE VERY CONSISTENT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND THIS SPACE WAS ESPECIALLY SUITED TO A LAW LIBRARY.
HUELL>> YEAH.
SEE THAT WAS THE HARD SELL FOR ME AT FIRST.
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU ALL.
I WAS A LITTLE -- >> YOU'RE NOT A LIBRARY MAN.
HUELL>> WELL, I LOVE LIBRARIES, BUT I WAS JUST -- I WAS HAVING TROUBLE MAKING THE JUMP FROM DEPARTMENT STORE, ELEGANT DEPARTMENT STORE TO LAW LIBRARY.
DID YOU EVER HAVE THAT SAME TROUBLE?
LEE>> I THINK WE ALL DID AT VARIOUS TIMES, EVEN A FEW MONTHS AGO, WHETHER IT WOULD REALLY WORK.
I MEAN, THERE WERE ALL SORTS OF FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING AND WHETHER WE COULD ADAPT IT AT ALL AND ONCE THOSE WERE RESOLVED, THE QUESTION OF LAYOUT CERTAINLY RON ALTUNA, OUR ARCHITECT'S VISION FOR THE PLACE WAS A VISION THAT WE -- SOME OF US DIDN'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND, BUT OBVIOUSLY HE DID.
AND -- THERE WERE QUITE A FEW MOMENTS OF DOUBT AND, OF COURSE, IT'S ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER THAN WE WANTED IT COMPLETED, BUT WHEN YOU'RE DOING AN ADAPTIVE REUSE OF AN OLD BUILDING, YOU NECESSARILY FALL BEHIND SCHEDULE.
HUELL>> WELL, ADAPTIVE REUSE, IF THERE WAS EVER AN EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESS STORY FOR ADAPTIVE REUSE, THIS IS IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE RETAINED THE WONDERFUL HISTORIC GRAND FLAVOR OF THIS OLD BULLOCKS WILSHIRE AND MADE IT INTO A FUNCTIONAL STATE-OF-THE-ART, BEAUTIFUL, GRAND LAW LIBRARY AND YOU ARE ALL TO BE CONGRATULATED.
YOU'VE FINISHED, YOU'VE FINISHED PHASE I. LESLIE, I'LL BE BACK TO SEE YOU FOR PHASE II AND PHASE III.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LEE>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.
HUELL>> THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, JUST AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT EVER WAS WITH A NEW USE.
THE OLD BULLOCKS WILSHIRE DEPARTMENT STORE IS ALIVE AND WELL AS A LAW LIBRARY.
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