
LAST MONTH, on a Tuesday night, I met friends at Tio Leo’s on Napa Street to hear a jazz singer. Someone was misinformed, because Tuesday nights feature swing music, which was all right with me, since I was one of the youngest people in the room and the place was filled with old photos of San Diego. The picture above our booth was of North Park, not too far from where I grew up and I pointed out some of the businesses I remembered. After awhile, a lady in the next booth said, “Maybe you can help me. I’ve been coming here for 18 years and there’s a photo of palm trees and a bridge that has me stumped.” I recognized it immediately as a photo that Howard Rozelle took in 1946 at the opening of the North Shore Self-Service Laundry at 4518 Fanuel St. What she thought were palm trees were congratulatory flower arrangements behind the washing machines.









