Cosmo’s Village

The architectural style of Cosmo’s Village, a mini-mall in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles, is described on a contemporary site as anxiety-inducing “faux-deco” and quasi-brutalist. The two-story structure was built by the architectural firm Stanton, Reed and Hibbard in 1930 as the seventh location for the Howard Auto Company, a leading Buick dealership in Southern California during the early 20th century. Early photos show that the areas under the arches on the front of the building were showroom windows. As one source commented, “[It] remains a stunning example of Los Angeles’ Art Deco period. Its geometric patterns, stylized motifs, and bold symmetry spoke to the optimism of a city charging into the modern age.”

Koreatown, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Photographer: John Bare