Hooray for Hollywood – Part 3: Food, Film, and Façade Finales at Universal Studios Florida


We’re reaching the end of the right side of Hollywood Blvd at Universal Studios Florida! In this third installment of our Hooray for Hollywood series, we’re exploring the last set of facades that bring California’s past to life—from Art Deco theaters and legendary hotels to gourmet grocery shops and golden-age cafés.

In Part 1 of this series, we took a look at the TODAY Cafe, Ciro's Mocambo, and Maryanne's Boutique.

In Part 2, we explored the Bourne Stuntacular and the buildings that make up its showbuilding: Carrozzeria de Paolo, Max Factor, The Beverly Wilshire, and The Kress building. There, it was mentioned that the Kress building facade is actually a gift shop and the exit to both the Bourne Stuntacular and the Horror Make-Up Show.

In Part 3 below, we'll continue down this side of the street and explore the facades that make up the showbuilding of the Horror Make-Up Show: Ralphs, Cafe Montmartre, as well as the three facades that make up the entrance to the Horror Make-Up Show: The Pantages Theater, Theatrical Cosmetics of Hollywood and Teddy's for Tots. We will then jump across the street to Cafe La Bamba.

Whether you’ve strolled past these buildings dozens of times or you’re noticing them for the first time, every plaque and plaque-less window tells a story worth sharing.

There are so many details to discover, so let's dive in!

Ralphs: Where Groceries Became Glamorous

First up is the Ralphs building! This is a larger gray and beige stone building with Spanish architecture, complete with large domed red awnings above the doorways. A large red cursive sign reading “Ralphs” is above the middle window in the center of the façade. In the three large windows, you’ll find neon signs reading “French Pastries”, “Prime Cuts”, and “Imported Wines & Cheese” above detailed window displays of each food category.


There is a long history about the Ralphs company, but in a nutshell: Ralphs was first founded in 1873 by brothers George and Walter, who started their grocery company as Ralphs Bros Grocers in downtown Los Angeles. As the population of the city grew, so did the grocery store chain, and in 1909 incorporated as Ralphs Grocery Company.


By 1928, Ralphs had 10 stores, making home deliveries via horse-drawn wagons to stress the importance of excellent customer service. It is the location on 5623 Wilshire Blvd that mirrors the style of the façade found at Universal Studios Florida. 


On the façade at Universal, you’ll find a door that says in cursive:


Ralphs
Phone Orders
And
Deliveries


This calls back to the home-delivery days during the early expansion efforts of the chain. To the right of this door is a bronze sign with a swirled design that reads:


Ralphs
Hollywood Market
Morgan, Walls, and Clements
Architects
1928

This is referring to the architects who designed the Spanish-style building in Hollywood in 1928. Other Ralphs buildings around this time would be in a similar style, but not an exact replica. This firm was also known for several other famous Hollywood landmarks such as the El Capitan Theater and the Wiltern Theater.

 

In Hollywood today, you'll still find a Ralphs in the same location, but it has received a significant remodel:

Café Montmartre: Hollywood Blvd’s First Nightclub

Next to Ralphs is the Montmartre façade, a light pink brick building with two large signs above and to the side, as well as an overhang above the doorway that reads MONTMARTRE. Besides the upstairs awnings, the Universal Florida façade looks nearly identical to Café Montmartre in 1922 on 6753 Hollywood Blvd in California. 


This location was coined “Hollywood Blvd’s first nightclub”, where you could find the likes of Joan Crawford and Adolph “Eddie” Brandstatter- the latter being one of the most prominent restaurateurs in Los Angeles. In fact, to the right of the main doorway, under the overhang, is where you will find a bronze rectangular plaque with a decorative border to the right of the doorway that reads:


Brandstatter’s
Café
Montmartre
6433

6433 is the address to this particular door along Hollywood Blvd. It is interesting that this number is included, as all of the other plaques on this street reference the date in which the actual building was built, and not a street address. So, if you have any details as to why this is, definitely let us know!

The signage to the left of this doorway includes a menu for your options for a 75 cent, $1, or $1.25 “evening dinner, served daily, including Sundays”. Further along the street, at the second doorway labeled with a 6431 address, another sign reads:


Café Montmartre
C.E. Toberman Construction
1922

Charles Edward Toberman was the property owner and had his real estate company on the first floor, with Cafe’ Montmartre on the second floor.  He was a real estate developer and stenographer who developed landmarks in Hollywood, California, including the Hollywood Bowl and Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Today, the Montmartre has been transformed into multiple shops, including the Museum of Dream Space, the Museum of Selfies, and the Medieval Torture Museum.

 

Pantages Theater: An Art Deco Masterpiece

The last building at the end of this street is the Pantages Theater. Originally opened in 1930, this was the final movie theater built by entertainment mogul Alexander Pantages. Designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca, the Pantages quickly became a standout for its opulent design, both inside and out. For years, it operated as a premier roadshow theater, hosting reserved-seat film events that gave moviegoing a touch of prestige.


Architecturally, the building is a masterclass in Art Deco design. It has been described by a number of sources as a two-story concrete façade with a faux-stone exterior, zigzag metal-framed windows, and striking Egyptian lotus patterns that draw your eye upward to the sculpted goddesses near the roofline.

 


Today, Universal Studios Florida pays homage to this stunning venue with its own Pantages façade, which houses the Horror Make-Up Show. This live stage show is a fun, behind-the-scenes look at how special effects and monster make-up are created for the big screen. Featuring real movie clips, hands-on demos, and a good dose of humor, it’s a must-see for fans of film magic.


The plaque located to the right of the front door reads:


Pantages Theater Building
B. Marcus Priteca
Architect
1929

But not only is this building façade massive, it features two shops to the left and right of its main entrance: Theatrical Cosmetics of Hollywood and Teddy's For Tots.

Theatrical Cosmetics of Hollywood

Between the main entrance to the Horror Make-Up show and the Montmartre is the Theatrical Cosmetics of Hollywood.  The shop windows feature displays with mannequins, a makeup chair and mirror, and several wigs. The door to this façade has the logo for this shop, with a gold and black sign that reads: 


Business Hours
Mon-Sat
9am to 5pm


While not an actual shop, this façade pays tribute to the importance of the hair and makeup artistry within the film industry.

Teddy’s & Toys for Tots

The shop to the left of the Pantages main entrance is Teddy’s, which has “Teddy’s & Toys for Tots.” The door to this shop includes the shop’s logo, as well as:

Hours
Mon-Fri 10 to 9
Sat. 10 to 6

Teddy’s for Tots is an actual non-profit that was started by 5-year-old girl named Cali who is on a mission to ensure that all children at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital receive a teddy bear for Christmas.

This hospital is located in Palo Alto, CA – which is in the Bay Area, and not in Hollywood, so this may not be a direct reference to the façade in Florida. But it is a great cause with a heartfelt message, so we wanted to pass it along, and we’ll have the link in the show notes if you are interested in learning more or donating. And if you know of the exact location that this façade is paying homage to, be sure to reach out to us on our Facebook Group – Where In The Park Explorers – and let us know!

Café La Bamba: A Hotel and a History

Rounding the corner at the end of the street is Café La Bamba, housed in a building inspired by the legendary Hollywood Hotel, first built in the early 1900s. 

There is a patinaed plaque located on the corner as you enter the courtyard reads:

Historical Hollywood Landmark

Established in February, 1904, the Hollywood Hotel became world famous for its celebrity guests and parties. During the 1930’s Louella Parson’s popular radio broadcasts were made from the hotel.

Thursday night dances were held every week for 53 years until the hotel was closed in 1956.

It is interesting that this plaque states it’s opening in February 1904, as we found other sources that stated it had opened in late 1902! But in any case, the Hollywood Hotel stood at the northwest corner of Highland Ave. and Prospect Ave (which would become Hollywood Blvd. in 1910). The hotel is described as “an elegant wood structure with Mission Revival style stucco facades and broad verandas.”

It was originally built to support the selling of residential lots. Business grew, and by 1904, a 40-room wing was added and additional gardens were added around the property. The hotel became so popular that by 1906, it had expanded over time to include a new entrance, a chapel, ballrooms, and 250 guest rooms. Over the years it would continue to grow and house additional businesses such as a florist shop and travel services.

As the plaque outside of the Universal Façade indicated, this hotel is no longer there – it closed in 1956. In its place came the 12-story First Federal Savings and Loan Building, a shopping center, and parking lots, which were all demolished by 1998 to make way for The Hollywood & Highland Center – an entertainment district. Today, this multi-level district is called Ovation Hollywood, and is just steps away from the famous Dolby Theater, the El Capitan Theater, and one of the best views of the Hollywood Sign.

Back at Universal Studios Florida, the Hollywood Hotel features Café La Bamba restaurant, serving “Southern California Mexican-inspired menu” – per the USF website. Kevin & Amanda had breakfast here during the start to their VIP experience last year.

Within the courtyard outside the restaurant is a small fountain. The coins tossed into this fountain – and any others around the Universal Resort, are donated to Give Kids The World – a local non-profit that help provide a weeklong, cost-free vacation to children with critical illnesses and their families.

That’s a Wrap… For Now

And just like that—we’ve reached the end of our tour down the right side of Hollywood Blvd at Universal Studios Florida. From food halls to nightclubs, from theatrical landmarks to heartfelt tributes, every inch of this street pays homage to a real place and moment in time.

But we’re not done yet. In a future episode, we’ll cross to the other side of the street and explore the left side of Hollywood Blvd —because there’s so much more to discover.

🎧 Listen to each part of the Hooray for Hollywood series
📸 View full photo sets in our WITP Explorers Group

--------------------------------------------------

✨Articles referenced in this blog ✨

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

Discover More Details

View all
1 3
View all