There’s nothing mid about Mid-City.
The 3.5-square-mile neighborhood — extending from Robertson Boulevard on the east to Crenshaw on the west, Pico Boulevard to the north and the 10 Freeway to the south — is centrally located, diverse and walkable. Not only does it take about 20 minutes to get anywhere from Mid-City but the parking is plentiful, unlike other parts of L.A. (looking at you, K-town).
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Where else can you walk to two different Targets, multiple grocery stores and several fitness studios all within a 3-mile radius? (And that’s just on Mid-City’s stretch of La Brea Avenue!)
The historically Black and Latino neighborhood features notable L.A. landmarks including the world’s first LGBTQ+ synagogue, Beth Chayim Chadashim, and the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, which was built on the grounds of the former Ebony Showcase Theatre. The local post office is named after Ray Charles, who had his recording studio and offices in the neighborhood. And many of the area’s popular businesses, including Gus’ World Famous Fried Chicken, Pip’s on La Brea and My 2 Cents are Black-owned.
Located midway between downtown L.A. and the Pacific Ocean, Mid-City was a key junction of the electric railways until service ended in 1963. The notoriously redlined neighborhood began to gentrify in the early aughts, though efforts to revitalize the area, buoyed in part by the construction of the Midtown Crossing shopping center, were hard-won.
Many now-defunct Mid-City businesses live on in the hearts of its residents: World on Wheels, the skating rink once saved by Nipsey Hussle, closed its doors for good during the pandemic. Jewel’s Catch One, the iconic Black LGBTQ+ disco, changed owners in 2015. And the long-standing Roscoe’s House of Chicken ‘n Waffles outpost on Pico Boulevard closed its doors and moved down La Brea to a new location.
Today, Mid-City continues to evolve as the neighborhood’s plethora of auto body shops and strip malls give way to luxury high-rises. In recent years, a shopping center was erected on La Brea between San Vicente and Pico boulevards, housing a Target, Michael’s and Sprouts Farmers Market. And with the new Wilshire/La Brea Purple Line station, slated to open next year, the area will be more easily accessible than ever.
In a place like L.A. where convenience is at a premium, more eyes are turning to Mid-City. And for good reason.
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What’s included in this guide
Anyone who’s lived in a major metropolis can tell you that neighborhoods are a tricky thing. They’re eternally malleable and evoke sociological questions around how we place our homes, our neighbors and our communities within a wider tapestry. In the name of neighborly generosity, we included gems that may linger outside of technical parameters. Instead of leaning into stark definitions, we hope to celebrate all of the places that make us love where we live.
