Peeling Back the Layers of a Building’s Vibrant History

What a surprise, and not necessarily a pleasant one, to see the building my husband used for his garment business depicted in your pages (“Fashion International,” by Colin Westerbeck, Photo Synthesis, Sept. 17). The first location for the Sid Shapiro Blouse Co. was at 1827 Eastlake Ave., not far from the building shown in the photograph by Christina Fernandez. He would have stayed there if the freeway system had not come through the area.

Although some might find the murals on the building artistic, others might find what is depicted in the photo a blank and uninviting streetscape, where one would not feel comfortable lingering. It is a far cry from what it was when the business within the structure was vital, and many, many people earned their livings within its walls.

Jeanette Shapiro

Valley Glen