Art Deco Oakland -- The Floral Depot

Dag Nabbit! The building hiding this letterbox is undergoing major renovations, and there are no more exterior walls or doorways, just pillars. I'll try to find a moment to recarve this letterbox and replant it. Stay tuned.

Oakland is home to some little-noticed gems of Art Deco architecture, and my current favorite is the astonishing Floral Depot building. Sheathed in glorious tile ornament, the Floral Depot sits on a corner that, one hopes, will be re-discovered, and not merely allowed to quietly moulder away.

Having said that, I must be very clear that this is an URBAN letterbox. This part of Oakland can seem a bit dicey, so keep your wits about you. You may wish to retrieve this box, and stamp in back at your car, as there are no cute park benches in this part of town.

Cross catty corner from the Floral Depot, and you'll be standing facing the lovely and also sadly decaying Fox Oakland Theater. The theater is now sealed away behind gates, and the interiors are in a rather odd state. We noticed a huge pile of dirt from some street excavation that was happening inside the building. Odd.

Face the theater and then stroll over to the sliding gate nearest the intersection. Check the top right of the gate's frame.

And, please, when you go to rehide this letterbox, do try to hide it so it won't be seen, not just from the sidewalk, but also from inside the building.