The Real Thing Antique Store at 11702 Ventura Boulevard in Studio City Postcard

Long before this stretch of Ventura Boulevard was associated with recording studios and post-production work, it was home to a very visual piece of Studio City roadside history: The Real Thing, an antique advertising store once located at 11702 Ventura Boulevard.

The vintage postcard shown here captures the storefront in its eye-catching prime. The building was decorated with oversized Coca-Cola bottles, bold red-and-white graphics, and a large circular sign reading “The Real Thing.” The postcard described the shop as “Peter Sidlow’s unique store devoted to the sale of antique advertising and specializing in the advertising items of Coca-Cola.” It also noted that the store bought trays, signs, calendars, and other advertising collectibles.

What makes the postcard especially fun is how completely the building once functioned as its own advertisement. The storefront was not just a place selling old signs and Coca-Cola memorabilia — the building itself became a giant piece of commercial pop art along Ventura Boulevard. With the bottle graphics, circular window openings, vintage cars parked out front, and “The Real Thing” branding, it would have been nearly impossible to miss while driving through Studio City.

Then: The Real Thing at 11702 Ventura Boulevard

The back of the postcard lists the address as:

The Real Thing
11702 Ventura Boulevard
Studio City, California 91604

The card also includes the name Peter Sidlow, identifying the business as a specialty antique advertising store with a focus on Coca-Cola collectibles. The imagery fits perfectly with that theme, turning the entire facade into a colorful homage to vintage commercial design.

Now: A Much Quieter Ventura Boulevard Frontage

Today, the location no longer has the dramatic Coca-Cola-themed exterior. The present-day street view shows a much more subdued building frontage along Ventura Boulevard, with the site appearing to be associated with Studiopolis, a recording and post-production studio.

There is one small address wrinkle: the postcard identifies the old store as 11702 Ventura Boulevard, while Studiopolis currently lists its address as 11700 Ventura Boulevard. Because online building-permit references appear to show the larger block of addresses from 11696 to 11702 Ventura Boulevard, it is possible that the address numbering was consolidated or that the studio now occupies the broader property frontage that once included The Real Thing.

A Small Piece of Studio City Commercial History

The Real Thing is a great example of the kind of quirky, highly visual businesses that once gave Ventura Boulevard so much of its character. Before the corridor became increasingly filled with offices, studios, restaurants, and newer mixed-use projects, many storefronts had a more individualized roadside personality.

In this case, the storefront was memorable enough to become a postcard subject. That says a lot. The building was not just a shop; it was a destination for collectors and a piece of advertising nostalgia in its own right.

The old postcard preserves a brief but colorful moment in Studio City history — when a small antique advertising store on Ventura Boulevard turned itself into “The Real Thing.”

You can view more Studio City Postcards here.

You can view more SFV Postcards here.