Moore Building
Tenants of the Walter L. Moore Building on the southeast corner of Fourth and Broadway in downtown Santa Ana were advertising their offices in the local paper even before “its finishing touches” were completed in May 1924. Local architect H. Newton Thornton designed the four-story, brick commercial building with subtle late Mission Revival influences. The first floor provided retail space with professional offices above. Targeting medical professionals, some of the floors had offices and consultation rooms arranged around centralized reception rooms. Early retail tenants included the E.T. Mateer Drug Company with its “modern soda fountain” and Vandermast’s Men’s Apparel. Blue Note Music was a popular store in the 1950s and 60s. The Moore Building is a contributing structure to Downtown Santa Ana Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.
Santa Ana, Orange County
Photographer: Andrew Schmidt