Early twentieth century storefronts run straight to the Sather Gate campus entrance, with sidewalk vendor tables, a used bookstore and a record shop.
What Telegraph Avenue looks like
marks the top of the street, built in 1910. Telegraph Avenue runs south from it in a straight run of about four blocks. The sidewalks are wide enough to hold card tables and folding chairs beside the storefronts, with vendors clustered most heavily between Durant Avenue and Channing Way.
Early twentieth century masonry buildings line both sides of the avenue, one to five storeys, several with brick facades set off by patterned brick insets under ornate cornices. The , a cream brick apartment house over ground floor storefronts, was built in 1916. Near Haste Street a newer mid-rise apartment block rises over the sidewalk on a rough stone-faced base, with arched storefront openings cut straight into the rock.
occupies four floors behind its street level windows. keeps a Moorish Revival marquee a few blocks north, red and gold tilework around its ticket window. A decorative blue theatre facade near Haste Street has star topped pilasters and a stepped marquee over its storefront windows.
Blue and yellow pennant banners hang from the lampposts over the sidewalk, and street trees break the storefronts at intervals. is at the corner of Haste Street. A rainbow painted mural runs along its cornice, with a run of neon lettering across the windows below.
Shot in Telegraph Avenue
Telegraph Avenue plays itself on screen rather than standing in for anywhere else. Benjamin runs down the sidewalk past Moe's Books in The Graduate, chasing the bus Elaine takes away. Its two leads walk the same blocks past the Amoeba Music storefront in Shortcomings.
Shortcomings, 2023
Amoeba Music
Ben Tanaka and Miko Hayashi walk past Amoeba Music's storefront in Shortcomings, shot on location on Telegraph Avenue rather than built on a stage. The store appears as itself, not dressed for another city. Street View
What Telegraph Avenue can double for
University District in Seattle, Washington
University Way NE, known locally as the Ave, runs a similar strip of early twentieth century storefronts straight at the University of Washington's edge. Used bookstores and record shops mix with sidewalk vendors in close quarters. Seattle's grey overcast skies and conifers in the background give the city away in a wide shot, and the street has one fewer traffic lane than Telegraph. Try searching used bookstores record shops now.
State Street in Madison, Wisconsin
State Street runs from the Wisconsin State Capitol to the University of Wisconsin's own gate, a pedestrian strip of early twentieth century storefronts holding bookstores, a co-op grocery and record shops in the same close mix as Telegraph. State Street is closed to private cars, so period vehicles need dressing in. The Capitol dome sits at the far end of almost every wide shot down the street. Try searching bookstores record shops now.
Thayer Street in Providence, Rhode Island
Thayer Street has a similar run of two and three storey early twentieth century storefronts along Brown University's eastern edge, narrower and shorter than Telegraph's four blocks. The storefronts lean more upscale and the sidewalk holds fewer vendor tables, so dressing in card tables and folding chairs would be needed for a closer match. Try searching early twentieth century storefronts now.
