Boyle Heights Police Hangout

Like Villa Sombrero in Highland Park, and the Shortstop in Echo Park, the cops in Boyle Heights also had a hangout. The bar was called Jack’s Place and was located across from the Hollenbeck station on First Street. From 1954 to 1986, Jack Goldstein owned and served drinks in his small dive bar. Before it was Jack’s Place it was a seedy tavern closed on a narcotics violation – I didn’t know bars were seedy in the 50′s. Jack got rid of the front window to give patrons privacy. The building now, doesn’t show any signs of windows being covered like many old dive bars today. I suppose the previous bar front may have had large windows like the business to left of it and a major remodel turned it into the plain brick facade with only a tiny window left. Or the building may have always had only a tiny window which Jack covered and painted the letters JPH on it. I wonder what those letters stood for? Perhaps Jacks Place Hollenbeck, Jacks Police Hangout, Jacks Pool Hall…anyone else have any guesses? Sadly after Jack’s Place closed in 1986 due to Jack’s health problems, the location has not been a bar again – in 1987 it became a sportswear store and today offers community pregnancy services.  In the old photo note the old sign of the neighboring business – the sign is still there today with the letters CASA SANDO’S and an illustration which I can’t make out painted over. *Thanks to the L.A. Times for some of the details and the black and white photo.