No Deal, but An Interesting History Lesson
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — 
Back in February when the Downtown News wrote that the Pig n' Whistle was looking at space in the Fine Arts Building I was incredulous that no one mentioned that the restaurant was a previous tenant in that very same space.
Unfortunately this week the paper reports that the deal fell through.
"It's a great location and we would have loved to bring it back with all its old Downtown history," [Pig n' Whistle owner Chris] Breed said. "Unfortunately the landlords don't see the potential and went with something else with a better offer. Considering the amount of money you have to put into a building like the Pig 'n Whistle, you have to be realistic about the numbers."
Breed said he is willing to consider other Downtown locations, but regrets that his venue won't occupy one of its original spaces.
Ironically in February I was chiding the wrong source on their lack of history. I was blaming the Downtown News for neglecting a historical angle when it in fact turned out that the Pig n' Whistle's ownership didn't know about the connection. When my post got over to them it intensified their interest in landing the Fine Arts Building space. Unfortunately that turned out to not quite be enough.
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LA City Nerd on March 20, 2007, at 07:20AM – #1
The original wurlitzer organ from the Pig & Wistle is now in a private home in the Valley. Maybe if they had opened up their new location they would have bought it back!
Louise on March 20, 2007, at 12:54PM – #2
I worked in the State Building at 1st and Broadway for many years and thought it was a great and convenient place to work. Also enjoyed the subsidized parking.
Jason on March 22, 2007, at 01:12AM – #3
Check this out! More Pig!
Scott Mercer on March 23, 2007, at 05:13AM – #4
Yikes! That's Broadway, and that building is the Yorkshire Apartments, which is still there!
Maybe the P 'n W could go in there? It's only one block from future condos at the Chapman and two blocks from the Eastern Columbia.
Great pic. Looks like the early 1950's. The cars look to be around 1953-54 vintage. That's a PCC streetcar from the Los Angeles Transit Lines. Put those back in there!
There's also the Marinello School of Beauty, still in business at another location. Notice in the background the "Newsreel Theatre." They only showed newsreels. I believe that's now the Tower Theatre.