Frank Bros. store in Long Beach - Los Angeles Times

Frank Bros., the store that changed how California decorated

In the two decades after World War II, the Case Study House program called upon the likes of Charles and Ray Eames, Richard Neutra and Pierre Koenig to create prototypical houses for the modern American family. To furnish these wood-frame ranch houses and steel-and-glass pavilions, program creator John Entenza enlisted a Long Beach furniture company, Frank Bros. Times staff writer Martha Groves talked with Ron Frank, son of co-founder Maurice Frank. That's Ron with wife Nancy in their Long Beach home, a wall-to-wall reminder of Frank Bros.' place in Midcentury design history. Back to L.A. at Home design blog

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

March 6, 2013 11:31 AM PT

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank (Gift of Ron Frank / Getty Research Institute)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank..

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.. (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Gift of Ron Frank / Getty Research Institute)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Gift of Ron Frank / Getty Research Institute)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester/ For the Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester / For The Times)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Gift of Ron Frank / Getty Research Institute)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Gift of Ron Frank / Getty Research Institute)

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank.

Going back in time with Ron and Nancy Frank. (Axel Koester/ For The Times)

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