People think of the Valley as the big wasteland of suburbia that somehow became part of Los Angeles, but really isn’t. Of course that view is held by people who are too hip to ‘come over the hill’ to see what’s really going on.
Like many other places, agriculture was the king (which is why close to 700 people voted to become part of Los Angeles in the mid 1910s when the Los Angeles Aqueduct was completed). It was only after WWII that tracts, subdivisions and suburbia really gained momentum.
So documenting older buildings has become a priority of mine, some will survive, many won’t.
I drove by this building (yes I need to go in and try their sandwiches) and took a double take. Old? New? Why haven’t I seen this before? The Cahuenga General store has an interesting history. The building isn’t that old, but it didn’t look like this. Since the present owners used it initially as a prop store for the industry, it’s nice to see that they transformed the exterior as well.
Paint can really change the feel of standard architectural elements.
From the photos on their site, I can see that the upstairs windows are original, and the tree is relatively new.
Moving on along Burbank Blvd, we come across some real old. I have driven by they grey building many times and have thought to myself:
Art Deco in the Valley! 
The overhand is pure Art Deco, the font for the address isn’t, but it also looks like this paint job isn’t so old. Today the neighborhood is gentrifying some, but I doubt they will take the iron gate off any time soon.
As I walk around camera is hand, I find that people are very nice. Someone yelled out from his car – Smile! Another man on his bike stopped to talk to me, he told me there is a plaque on the building stating it was built in the teens – hmm that is way before Deco.
I went to investigate, no sign, so yay for Google. The building was built for small industry in 1947, so although Art Deco was officially over, many builders were still using many of the design elements.
The facade is attractive, looking from the side, it simply becomes a large warehouse, I do like the old Chimney or Vent on the roof.
Walking around the back, non-descript. Although the current tenant Panther parts (an electronic parts and equipment dealer) has spruced up the back door.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the small red building, two brand new structures are being built. Very interesting roofline. I also appreciate how the glass balcony railing unifies what looks like two separate buildings. Not sure why it’s not just one structure.
If it weren’t for the stamps on the plywood, I’d consider the roof line done. One doesn’t do that kind of detailed work and leave it like that, but what do I know, I’ll report back in a few months.
More on this area in another post.
Leah
Nice observations. Your part of the Valley…Studio City, NoHo, parts of Van Nuys, Burbank, etc. just over the hill from Hollywood, have some really old buildings. Cahuenga was THE major thoroughfare to the Valley. When I was a kid it seemed like a real field trip, travelling over hill and dale to visit friends in North Hollywood!