1914, Charles S. Thomas. 21 S. Tejon St.
This narrow, four-story commercial building of deep red brick has rich white terracotta trim, including pilasters and raised garlands and swags on the spandrels. The bracketed cornice is crowned by a stepped parapet. Inside, an elevator operator greets customers and announces each floor and its attractions, and 1930s pneumatic tubes serve as interfloor communication to a central accounting desk. This splendid department store, now operated by the third generation of Hibbards, specializes in hard-to-find items and is itself of an old-fashioned, vanishing breed.