In the past, it wouldn’t have been wise to walk anywhere on Industrial Street after dark. There were loading docks, semi-trucks blocking the street, and foot traffic, mostly comprised of unsavory characters. Now, the street has murals, restaurants, and people walk their dogs on it.
The Arts District has transformed rapidly, and it is a story we will likely tell for years to come.
From Warehouses to Art Havens
In the 70’s, the district’s first transformation occurred when artists moved to the area to access cheap studio and living spaces. The area had a rough, gritty feel. The 90s brought crime and vacant buildings, making the area seem even rougher and more undesirable.
The real turning point came in the early 2000s. A company called Linear City took two beat-up old warehouses and turned them into loft buildings. The Toy Factory Lofts opened in 2005 — before that, the massive space had been used to store stuffed animals for a toy company that went bankrupt. Then came the Biscuit Company Lofts in 2007, built on the old Nabisco West Coast base.
Together, they brought around 350 residents to the block. Those residents needed places to eat, drink, and hang out. Businesses followed fast.
“When we opened, it kind of very naturally evolved into a pedestrian environment,” said Yuval Bar-Zemer, a partner at Linear City.
Street Art That Stops You Cold
As you walk through the Arts District, you may lose track of where to look first. The walls of buildings are covered with large, colorful murals. You’ll spot portraits of cultural icons, wild abstract art, and sidewalk drawings that feel totally out of place in the best way. Even if you’re not a big art fan, it’s hard to walk through here without stopping for a photo.
A few spots worth checking out:
- Art Share L.A.: a two-story warehouse with art shows, classes, and live-work lofts for local artists
- Hauser & Wirth: a converted former flour mill that is a gallery with a garden that has murals, vegetable gardens, and real live chickens
- Hidden alleys: cobbled streets that are built over old railway beds and graffiti-covered brick walls. It memorializes the neighborhood’s rough history.
Eat, Drink, Repeat
There is a variety of food available. You can choose between a casual place serving just burgers or a full restaurant without walking more than a few blocks.
Bavel is packed with customers and has great Middle Eastern food. You can’t miss their homemade pita and their homemade hummus. Book a table at Bestia to get a chance at their handmade pasta and their woodfire-baked pizzas. It’s all in the same area, with a lot of competition, and so you need to plan well.
If you want something before dinner, go to Father’s Office for the best burgers and cold beers, or you can even swing by Angel City Brewery, an open-air spot with a lot of history baked into its walls.
Death & Co. is a New York bar that gives you a dark, underground feel. Expect the Flamingo to have pretty pink walls and a floating dance floor. If you want something more chill, the Arts District has plenty of cozy bars that fly under the radar.
Worth the Trip
It took decades of hard work, a few pioneering investors, and many artists’ visions to transform the area, but it paid off in spades. Now the district attracts visitors from near and far, and streets that used to be unsafe at night have become safe. People of all kinds walk the streets and enjoy the district with their children, dogs, and cameras.
Actually, the best way to see it is to show up and walk. You’ll find a mural you weren’t expecting. A cafe tucked into an alley. A bar playing something good. In some corners of a city, you have to earn by just showing up. That kind of place is hard to plan — you have to be there.
