Located at 5959 Hollywood Boulevard, the Holly-Food-Mart, also known as the Hollywood Food Mart was the second of four commercial structures to be built on the Brokaw ranch property- the first being the Palms Grill to the east, which had started construction shortly before this project was announced in February 1937. The Florentine Gardens would open next door the following year, and the Hawaii Theater in 1939.
LA Times 2/7/1937
The owner of the former Brokaw property, the Times-Mirror Company, commissioned the building, designed by architect Arlos R. Sedgley (mistakenly identified as “A.B.” Sedgely in the Times article above), and leased it for use as a market. The Holly-Food Mart opened by September 1937.
Hollywood Citizen News 9/14/1937
The Holly-Food Mart c. 1937. LAPL photo
The Holly-Food Mart opening night, 1937. Like most LA markets at the time, the displays of fresh fruit and veg were placed out front. Reflections of the neon signs for the Nash (6028) and Pontiac (6032) dealerships across the street can be seen. LAPL photo.
The Holly-Food Mart at night, c.1937. The Marcal Theater at 6021-6025 can be seen. LAPL photo.
The Holly-Food Mart was a market for less than 10 years. Open through December 1945, starting in 1946, it took on other uses. For most of the 1950s and 1960s, the remodeled building served as the offices of a publishing firm.
In June 1970 it was converted into a two-screen (twin) theater called the Adam and Eve, which opened in July, specializing in adult films.
Sketch of the former Holly-Food Mart, converted to use as a theater. LA Times 7/19/1970
An example of the fare being screened at the Adam and Eve. LA Times 7/31/1970
In November 1974, 5959 Hollywood Boulevard became another adult movie house, the X, Theatre, notable for the giant neon X on its facade.
LA Times 11/1/1974.As the X Theater. The “X” movie rating came to be in 1968.
Hollywood Boulevard looking west from just east of Gower in 1986. 5959 as the X Theatre can be seen on the right. UCLA photo.
It remained the X Theatre longer than it was the Holly-Food Mart.
The much-altered building was demolished in 2016.
J. H. Graham 
This one has the (less than complete?) Nash dealer list with them at the 6032 address in the early ‘50’s which matches Toyota in 1957 so perhaps Rambler might be the in between era: https://www.nashparts.com/Dealership/NashdealersCA.htm
Pontiac eventually moved to the big northside location, so that might explain the address switching for Nash?
BTW…you’re doing a great job with something no one else seems to have tackled so far!
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Thanks Al. Those lots were in constant turnover, compared to the stability of Chevy at 5950. I’ll do a post on them – I’ve got the information it’s just a jumbled mess.
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Calisphere had a shot of the Holly Creme Ice Cream across from Morgan’s real estate office but they didn’t seem to know where it was located on the boulevard. Your post definitely makes that corner identifiable. Their east looking views from Gower certainly make this block seem pretty busy back in the day. All the background you’re adding does real justice to what has largely been overlooked.
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I just looked it up. What a cute picture- that little shack!
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