Here is a photo from the fond remembered Larry's Ice Cream Store, from the Pasadena Museum of History, which shows the northeast corner of Lake and Washington about 1949. Notice the corner entrance, distinctive architecture, diagonal parking on North Lake Avenue and tasteful signage. Also, note the attractive light standards and the festive string of light bulbs strung over the intersection. I don't know what the occasion was for the festive lighting, but back in those days the Lake Washington Village Business Association was very active celebrating special sales and holiday festivities.
Mode-a-Day and Frances Scott dress shops are just up the way on North Lake with one other retail bay before reaching the Crown Restaurant and Hotel Supply building which still exists today as the Fred Astaire Dance Studio. There must have been more than one Larry's Ice Cream Store, as the signs both say Larry's Ice Cream Stores rather than just Store.
Many old neighborhood residents talk of having an ice cream sundae or soda at Larry's soda fountain. Such a shame we don't have something like this now during the hot summer months. The closest thing we have is Connal's on East Washington Boulevard, a few blocks to the east which has great ice cream.
Here is what we have now on the same corner. All the buildings were demolished up to the Crown Restaurant and Hotel Supply and to the east to the alley. What a shame when this happened in the late 1960's, and something we've had to live with now for a long time. Perhaps someday the gas station will go the way of old Larry's and something more like Larry's will come back. We can hope... The historic crown sign of the old Crown Restaurant and Hotel Supply got saved and reused...
