One of the fastest growing categories of business in 1950s Van Nuys, CA, was the modest priced furniture retailer.
The opening of a store on Van Nuys Boulevard was an event for the whole family. Mom, Dad, Janet, Billy and Sally would come down to see dinette sets, bunk beds, and wall-to-wall carpet that would soon cover the San Fernando Valley from Burbank to Hidden Hills.
Van Nuys was prosperous, white, middle-class, with excellent schools, clean streets, strictly policed, and full of new families in new houses. All these ranch houses and young families needed furniture. And here it was!
The widening of Van Nuys Boulevard in 1954 to a six-lane wide highway offered builders of furniture stores the opportunity to erect big signs atop big box stores fronting the street.
In the archives of the Los Angeles Public Library are these photographs taken from the pages of the Valley Times from 1955-61.
Photograph caption dated March 21, 1956 reads “Large Gold’s Valley furniture and appliance store will open at the corner of Roscoe and Van Nuys boulevards, Panorama City, with an all-day celebration tomorrow. Gifts, entertainment and free rides for children will be part of festivities.” 
Photograph caption dated March 9, 1959 reads, “Hub Furniture Stores newest location on Sepulveda and Nordhoff in Van Nuys marks the 14th Hub Store in the greater Los Angeles area. March 14 is the opening day.” 
Photograph caption dated December 2, 1955 reads “Sign features Taylor’s Furniture Mart, new name selected for store formerly known as Van Nuys Furniture Mart. Company recently opened Reseda branch, known as Taylor’s Grand Central Warehouse.” 
Photograph caption dated April 7, 1958 reads, “Above shows new Barker Bros. Van Nuys store which formally opened today at 6505 Van Nuys Blvd. Store provides nearly three times the space of the former Barker store across the street at 6502 Van Nuys Blvd. The old store closed Saturday. Barker Bros. has operated a branch in Van Nuys since 1948.” 
Photograph caption dated April 28, 1961 reads “Special grand opening celebration continues through the weekend at the new Douglas Furniture Mart, 6180 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys. The store features a medium priced line of furniture and appliances.”
The 1958 Barker Brothers store still stands at 6505 Van Nuys Bl. It appears to be empty, along sidewalks where only the saddest and most desperate wander.
