In the Old Days:
Windward Avenue
In the Old Days:
Canals, Bridges
In the Old Days:
Gondolas
In the Old Days:
Lagoon and Midway
In the Old Days:
Miniature Railroad
In the Old Days
Night Scenes
In the Old Days:
Market Street
In the Old Days:
Scenic Railway
In the Old Days:
1921 Amusements
In the Old Days:
Cabrillo Ship Cafe'
In the Old Days:
Venice Pier
Arielle Haze
Venice Photos
Arielle Haze views
Beach Art
Scott Shellstrom
Venice art
Dale Hartman
snapshots
Venice Paintings
by
Pat Hartman
Ehrlich buildings
Homage to Old Venice
Unpainting the Town:
lost murals
Helen K. Garber photos
Art at the Rose Cafe'
New Venice Sign
In the Old Days:
Mecca Buffet
The Mecca Buffet was one of the original buildings of 1905 Venice. The main entrance was on Market Street and the building also faced on the boardwalk. Originally there were two stories of brick, topped by what appears to be a wooden structure. It is an odd historical fact that the Mecca Buffet waiters were the first lifeguards of Venice Beach. Maybe they kept watch from the roof?
Above: The Boardwalk at Venice Beach
in the early 1900s.
In the foreground on the right or landward side is St. Mark's Hotel, at
Ocean Front and Windward, also one of Venice's original buildings. It
was demolished in 1964. Then a vacant lot with five columns in place but
no building. Next is the Mecca Cafe.
On the left (west) side is the Plunge or bathhouse, which was open to
the public and also sponsored swimming events that drew as many as 5000
spectators. In a bizarre publicity stunt, manager Jake Cox put on full-body
suit that appeared to be made of shag carpeting, set himself on fire and
dove from the rafters into the water.
Also seen are signs for the Potter Apartments, where Ann Nietzke many
years later wrote Windowlight, her memoir of Venice in the late
1970s.
Also visible is the sign of the Neptune Theater, built around 1915. In
1923 a judge was speaking onstage against the proposed annexation of Venice
to Los Angeles, and someone tried to shoot him.
Jeffrey Stanton says Harrah’s was in the Plaza building at the entrance of the pier, and opened July 1932. Others say that Harrah’s was in the Mecca building. There’s no reason why gambling establishments couldn’t have been in both places and many more besides. At other stages of its history, the building was a drug store and a 20-bartender saloon.
The Mecca Buffet turned out to be one of the most famous buildings in America in its later incarnation as the Gas House.
Former Mecca Buffet in a photo Jeffrey Stanton dates 1947. Bridgo is a variety of bingo.
During construction
Mecca Buffet when new, circa 1905
In both the above views, we are looking more or less Westward, seeing just a corner of the Mecca building. The structure decorated like a series of caves is the Thompson Scenic Railway.
The Thompson Scenic Railway, on the right, west, or seaward side, shows the effects of its 1913 remodeling in a postcard mailed in 1916. The Mecca building is on the left or inland side of Ocean Front Walk.
Interior, Mecca Buffet, early 1900s