Henri’s restaurant
Technically, it was a few paces beyond the generally recognized boundary of the Sunset Strip, but that didn’t stop 9236 from proclaiming itself as Strip real estate. Situated near the eastern terminus of Sunset Boulevard equestrian path, it is yet another Strip address with a history of frequent name/ownership changes and raids.
“Where La Path Equestrian Meets La Sunset Strip,” June, 1946 ad for Henri’s on the Strip. Palm Springs Desert Sun. Until just recently it had operated as Eddie Nealis’ Colony House.
9236 started out as The Willows in the early 1930s. In December 1933 the former Willows was being run by Strip regular Eugene Jarvis and experienced its first (post-Repeal) raid of record. In March 1935 Club Eugene was again under fire for violating the 2 a.m. closing law.
On May 26, 1938 it opened as Club Morocco but by Oct 1938 it had become Jerry’s Mandaly (affiliated with the famous Jerry’s Joynt restaurant in Chinatown) and as of February 4, 1939 it was Neville Fleeason’s Mandaly and raided for liquor violations in October. In 1940 it operated briefly as The Sphinx Club run by George Goldie, a gambler once associated with the Clover Club at 8477 Sunset, which had once been known as The Sphinx Club itself. As of June 25, 1941 “Gogi” announced that it would be doing businesses as the Garden at Scheherazade. In early 1942, Felix Young, formerly affiliated with both the Trocadero and the Mocambo, the opened the “Little Troc” Club (or Little Club) here and was raided for after-hours liquor sales in 1943.
9236 Sunset, “where the bridle path begins” opening as Club Morocco May 26, 1938.
9236 Sunset “at the end of the Strip” as Jerry’s Mandalay, October 1938
And as Neville Fleeson’s Mandaly “where Hollywood meets Beverly Hills,” February 1939.
9236 Sunset as Gogi’s “Garden at Scheherazade.” Like many Strip clubs, the name had a New York counterpart. 6-25-1941.
9236 as Felix Young’s Little (Troc) Club, February 1942.
As of late 1945 it had become Colony House, run by gambler Eddie Nealis, who was also once associated with the Clover Club and had apparently also been running a gambling club at 9216 next door. 9236 was still Colony House in April 1946 when it was robbed, but was Henri’s by June 1946, run by Henri Chapentier and offering luncheons on the patio. The top image shows Henry’s signage and umbrellas on the right, with a glimpse of 9216’s tile roof also. Henri’s yielded to Le Pavilion by December 1947, again with Felix Young as its (asserted) owner.
9236 Sunset as Colony House, 1945.
Henri’s, “where the Sunset Strip meets the Bridle Path.” 3-26-1947. Gala Easter Hat Show featuring Keneth Hopkins Hats. Hopkins designed many hats for the movies in the 1940s, most notably the “phantom lady” hat in the 1944 film of the same name.
J. H. Graham 
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