25 Cent Car Wash on Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, California

by John Margolies

Time travel to 1978 in Southern California through this one-of-a-kind photograph by the highly acclaimed architectural historian John Margolies. Photographed from the intersection of Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica, this item perfectly portrays the block lettering on the "COIN OP CAR WASH" sign amidst the vintage neon signs at Jerry's Liquor. This item captures Margolies’ trademark style that makes mundane vernacular architecture into a memorable scene of mid-century Americana including the bright coastal light, the Googie lettering, and California nostalgia.

This item is part of the photographer’s famous Roadside America collection archived at the Library of Congress and is best suited for vintage photograph collectors, enthusiasts of Googie architecture, people fascinated by West Coast history, and modern interior environments needing a vintage look.