The French Market
Address
7985 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90046
Active Dates
1974 - 2015
“French Market Place” by Alan Light, November 1987, CC BY 2.0
Oral History Clips
About this location
The French Market Place was a gathering place for the LGBTQ community from the mid-1970s until its closure in 2015. This complex housed a large restaurant, the French Quarter, surrounded by various small shops, including the gay shop Dorothy's Surrender. The site held organizing meetings for LGBT rights organizations like the Municipal Elections Committee of Los Angeles (MECLA). The dining patio increased LGBT visibility by allowing community members to dine openly on a major street without fear of reprisal. The French Market also provided access to LGBT periodicals and was a popular starting point for the Pride Parade.
Categories
Sources
- Holmes, Mona. “West Hollywood’s Iconic French Market Place Boasts a Glitzy New Design.” Eater LA, August 1, 2018. https://la.eater.com/2018/8/1/17635658/two-restaurants-underground-bar-west-hollywood-french-market-place-development.
- Time Out Los Angeles. “Dorothy’s Surrender.” September 25, 2012. https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/shopping/dorothys-surrender-closed.
- Trinh, Jean. “1970s Gay WeHo Hangout Could Be Razed For New Development.” LAist, December 30, 2015. https://laist.com/news/food/goodbye-french-market-place.
- WeHo Online. “Inspired by a Trip to New Orleans, the Hartmans Were the Couple Behind the French Market.” Accessed April 28, 2026. https://wehoonline.com/inspired-by-a-trip-to-new-orleans-the-hartmans-were-the-couple-behind-the-french-market/.