A TOY FACTORY REIMAGINED…

Located in the heart of the burgeoning LA River Arts Corridor, LA River Studios is the reimagination of a vintage-era “bow & truss” factory warehouse into stunning creative studios.

The expansive 1931 brick building was the original casting and assembly factory for the Smith-Miller Company, a vintage die-cast toy truck replica manufacturer throughout the 40s & 50s.  Beginning in the early 50s the owners transitioned their skilled workers and machining equipment to manufacturing high-quality metal pulleys under the trade name Withrow Brothers and continued to do so for some 30 years.  The building lay dormant and untouched for three decades until the spring of 2014.  VOX Productions was scouring the east side of LA in search of a permanent home and stumbled upon the dilapidated structure in sore need of repair. VOX saw the building’s potential and rich history and knew the space could be revitalized and its former glory restored.

Bringing the once bustling factory back to life was no small feat.  Years of wear and neglect had left the nearly collapsed building in dire need of structural reinforcement and major repair.  VOX gently peeled back the layers to reveal the building’s authentic warehouse aesthetic and rustic charm. Exposed brick, antique chicken wire glass windows, honeycomb wooded bow truss ceiling, and an original factory fire door were just some the uncovered treasures.  Of equal importance was the addition of modern design touches and state-of-the-art audio and lighting systems to bring the space into the 21st century. LA River Studios was born. 

Today LA River Studios boasts 15,000 square feet of flexible creative space. It continues to be family owned and operated with its own in-house sales team and full-service production company. Combining historic charm with modern-day needs, LA River Studios has it all.