Opened in 1929, the drive-in Chapman Park Market was one of the first markets in the western U.S. designed for the automobile.

The market presented a fortress-like facade, with thick concrete walls worked to resemble sandstone and ornate, Churrigueresque towers on the corners.

A large rooftop sign invited motorists off Wilshire. Patrons drove in through a Spanish Revival archway to find an inner courtyard surrounded by various grocers.

The market and its companion Chapman Park Studio building across Alexandria Avenue were envisioned, along with the since-demolished Chapman Park Hotel, as fashionable anchors of the neighborhood.

Chapman Plaza was restored by developer Wayne Ratkovich and architect Brenda Levin, and is currently occupied mostly by chic Korean shops and restaurants.