The Hollywood Theater still stands on NE Sandy Blvd, as it has since 1926, but the building just west of it, at 41st Street, is gone. The Hollywood Building on the right was “modernized” at some time over the years and lost its graceful arched entryway.
(City of Portland Archives)
Vintage Portland 
What’s interesting is how the Hollywood Curtain Shop sign was designed to at least reflect that arch. Indeed it seems to be a prominent feature of the sign. Today they’d probably just run the sign right across the arch, unless they were subject to the Design Review process.
An almost identical photo of this streetscape today: http://tinyurl.com/62lax9h
I’ve always wondered what was once on the lot adjacent to the Hollywood Theater…thanks for the post!
Thanks for this photo! I live on the Hollywood neighborhood, so just love any photos of the area.
Speaking of the buildings around the cinema, have you heard about the proposed building to fill the vacant lot next to the Hollywood?
The building next to the theater had some interesting alcoves and spaces – seems like part of it was an antique store?
Fire took that building in March 97 and lot has been vacant since.
Plans for new development are controversial. See http://portlandpreservation.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/new-building-proposed-adjacent-to-hollywood-theatre/
Heh, looks like Brian G beat me too it. The empty lot had a building in it until just a few years ago when it burned down.
The Hollywood Bldg is another of those neat triangular buildings. I always love those odd shaped ones made to fit their lot.
I do miss the building where the empty lot is now. One of my favorite signs on that building was the “Mystic Weavers” sign. Hollywood (and inner NE along Broadway) had some great buildings designed in the Mediterranean style. The tile roofs, alcoves and stucco features are very attractive. Many of these buildings were built in the 1920’s before the Great Depression and I have always felt represented a level optimism and appreciation in the artistic value a commercial building can have. (Look at the Hollywood Burger Barn- one of the sweetest little buildings in Portland). The Great Depression seemed to have killed that and most commercial buildings that followed were merely functional boxes with the sole purpose of hawking whatever was being sold inside. When I see old photos of districts like Hollywood in the 20’s and early 30’s, shopping looked more like something you would look forward to, not just some process that had to be endured. I have looked at the design of the building planned to sit on this lot, and while it looks interesting as a modern building, I think an opportunity is being lost here. It is possible to build buildings today that replicate the style of other Mediterranean buildings in Hollywood. I think that would be much more appropriate to place next to the Hollywood Theater. I also think as time went on, future generations would appreciate saving the character of neighborhoods like this.
Looks like there is a fence up across what would be 41st between the two buildings. It is a parking lot now with a “street” sort of isle that runs thru it. I don’t know if the street ever actually went all the way thru to Sandy. I was much more familiar with the area as a kid but still don’t really recall. Used to eat/drink at Carmens? that was just down the street on the 39th/Halsey/Sandy triangle area I think. Might have been where the parking lot between the two one ways just east of the freeway is now. I don’t recognize the area anymore!
Carmen’s building still stands. It’s where 39th meets Sandy on the SW corner. It’s another building that has sadly been “modernized”- i.e. stripped of all character. It’s now a real estate office.
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My wife and I met at Carmen’s over 30 years ago, the day after Thanksgiving so I have fond memories of the place. We will celebrate our 30th. wedding anniversary this next June.
The new apartment building on Sandy next to the Hollywood Theater looks like, pardon the expression, a G** D*** abortion. It is totally out of proportion, hides almost all of the west side of the theater and doesn’t match any style of the buildings in close proximity For a city that supposedly likes to have new building blend in with the old this and the New Season’s Market building definitely do not blend in IMHO. Having lived around the Hollywood area for almost all of my life (over 61 yrs) I definitely have my own opinion of what fits.