From the Department of Water and Power photo archives, comes this photograph of the Norvord Building at 6420 Van Nuys Boulevard, just north of Victory, circa 1940.
Van Nuys Boulevard, before it was widened in 1954, had diagonal parking, as Brand Boulevard in Glendale does today.
In looking at the above photograph, one can see that the 1920s building, had, by 1940, undergone some modernist facade renovations with curved glass at Mode O’Day and streamline signage at Arnold W. Leveen Hardware. The simple and lovely “Van Nuys Stationary Store” had a discreet sign and an awning to shade the interior from the sun.
Van Nuys Boulevard was a walkable, civilized, clean and prosperous street in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. Locals shopped here and patronized small businesses who in turn watched over the community. That was Van Nuys 74 years ago.
And what is it today?
Here in Van Nuys 
It’s the anathema of most American cities today-only smaller! p.s. that Stationary Store eventually got replaced by another that ended up south of Victory near the corner of Friar St.
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Too bad that building isn’t still there. Van Nuys was quite nice in the 50s, nice clothing stores, jewelry, shoes, two movie theaters and restaurants.
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