Mill Valley business' long gone

Paul · Status: Offline

RE: Mill Valley business' long gone

HowieCA666 · Status: Offline

The Hickory Pit in the old Strawberry Town & Country Center. Fair BBQ, but great fruit pies

Der Weinerschnitzel at E. Blythdale & El Camino ( current location of Gira Pollo)

Paul · Status: Offline

Hi Steve ,
You were the one that started this post and it has had more hits than most on this site.
It seems like a lot of people have been on vacation or just not posting lately. Maybe
everybody is " posted out " for a while.
Another thing related to Fillepe losing the Chevron station is I read in the IJ FBN section
is Fillepe Alverez and a relative have opened a new auto service shop in San Rafael called
B & G Auto services. Good for him ! I wonder if Steve B. will work there. Fillepe realy
got burned by the Chevron Corp. and the Yate's. It's good to have you back on line.

SteveC · Status: Offline

It's good to read you Paul. I just spent five weeks in Marin General and was hoping for more than was added here.

Jennie Low's was the first quality Chinese food I ever had (whenever they opened, what maybe 15-20 yrs ago?)

I remember Chinese Kitchen by Tam Junction and North Larkspur (?) where they cooked your take out right in front of you and it still was never good (IMO)

It's been a couple years but I have had several good meals from Lily Kai, where Cheese Unlimited used to be (after they tore down the Shell Station) on E. Bithedale if you need another choice.

http://www.lilykai.com/

Paul · Status: Offline

Jenn E Low's

We just had dinner there in M.V. for probably the last time. They lost their lease
and are closing at the end of the month. They still have restaurants in Novato and
Petaluma but are being forced out of Marin. It is sad to see them go from M.V. We
will miss them , great food close to home.

Pangolin · Status: Offline

Does anybody remember that building on Miller just a bit south of the depot that housed an assortment of arts and crafts type shops? I think it was a two story building, but I can't remember the name. Is it still there?

artlife · Status: Offline

jason, i am still in touch with ross school

i realize that i have some notecards with some 1920s photos of ross - there are some photos hung in the post office, too

the marin art and garden center has a wealth of historical info and photos

http://www.moya-rhs.org/

Paul · Status: Offline

Yes El Paseo is still there , I had dinner there a few years ago. I have many friends
that worked there and some still do. I always loved walking through there on
hot days to cool off. I had a girlfriend that lived in one of the apartments
above there. The whole complex has not changed much for many years , except
for businesses have changed.

-- Edited by Paul at 03:03, 2007-04-12

JasonLewis · Status: Offline

Artlife, are you still connected to Ross school? Do you think they might have any old pictures of Ross or the school?

Paul Penna · Status: Offline

Is El Paseo still there? I haven't been to MV for aloooong time. Anyway, here it is in February 1965.

Paul · Status: Offline

We forgot Varney's Hardware , a classic old hardware store that served us all very well for a long
time.

Paul · Status: Offline

Not long gone but recently gone : Albertsons. There was rumors of Trader Joey's
and Whole Foods moving into that space , I know a former Albertsons employee who
now works at M.V. Market , she claims that Whole Foods will be relocating to that
site in 2 years.
The Chevron station in Tam Valley , totally gondi. The long time locals who worked there
until the end were Fillepe A. who managed the station and Steve B. who was the
mechanic. They told me that the Yates never kept up with prices and that they had the
highest gas prices in the nation ! It is sad that Fillepe wanted to buy the franchise
and gave a big non refundable deposit to take it over , but the corporation changed
their mind and booted them out and leveled the place " Post Haste " The corporation
figures they can make more money selling sodas and snacks than providing a full
service station. I used to buy gas there all the time out of convienence , and even
though the prices were high , I liked the people who worked there and I won't go
out of my way to save gas coin.
Cala Bell market across the street , now Delanos IGA, I was in there the other night
and I saw one employee from the old store " Zack " but all the other people I saw
were new.

SteveC · Status: Offline

quoting Paul......"sesh spots", I haven't heard that term in 30 yrs. Good to hear it again.

How about the top of the ridge on Fairfax-Bolinas Rd (half way betw.Fairfax and Alpine Lake)

Paul · Status: Offline

Oh the Depot. That was the place where all of us energetic youths would meet and
find out where the partys were. It was quite a scene. Remember the secluded alcove
next to Pat and Joes resteraunt where we would all sit on the concrete bench and do
what ever we wanted to do right in downtown. They ripped all that out and put a
new bench next to the bank. Remember how Tam High used to be totally overgrown ,
there were endless sesh spots . Now it's been completely hacked away , no more
hiding from the officials. I'm glad I don't have to go to school there now , they
devistated all the vegitation and our hiding spots , but the kids now don't know how
it used to be , so they can't complain.

Dave in Truckee · Status: Offline

The Depot when it was a real bus station? In the early 60's, I remember at Easter time they would set up a little area in front with live rabbits, chickens and ducks for the kids to see. How would the PETA people deal with that today?

SteveC · Status: Offline

I thought that gang was called "The Buckhorners" reflecting the brand of most "value".

You must have at least shared that lot with them. I miss empty lots.

We used to party at an empty lot at nearly the top of Sugar Loaf Hill in Tiburon
with a 240 degree view facing the city. We used to be there all night. I can't believe no one bothered us as there were houses all around.

Paul · Status: Offline

I thought that was Jolly King Market , and Jolly King Liquors , which is still there.
I remember how exciting that place was , and we would hang out by the creek and
the ropeswing . We would sesh in the vacant lot that is now condos.
Up until around 1971 , that was the place to do " The Buy Up " We would wait outside
Jolly King Liquors and look for a cool person to score us some beer , quarts of Oly
or Bud. Later in the early 70's the word went out to all high school kids that Jolly
didn't ask for ID. I remember we would buy six packs of San Miguel for $1.89.
At the time I really wasn't into drinking much at all , we were much more into boasting ,
but an occasional cool , crisp beer hit the spot.

burtonpacer · Status: Offline

Jolly market was up the street from Santa's Toys, I worked there when I was sixteen.

artlife · Status: Offline

>Dr. Hugh Craig , Radioligist ( Huey's dad ) next to Village Music.

that should be "cregg"

why do i know this - i taught his kids at ross school

Paul · Status: Offline

Dan's Liquors in Tam Junction where the Surf Shop is now.

Paul · Status: Offline

Prune Music on Locust.
Dr. Hugh Craig , Radioligist ( Huey's dad ) next to Village Music.
The Brothers bar on Locust.

Paul · Status: Offline

East Totem West , located on Throckmorton near where M.V. Merchantile is now.
They were a bunch of artists , publishers and printers that put out a bunch of
psychedellic posters in the sixty's. They also had a super well painted VW bus that
could be seen floating about town. I heard Portal Publications still has some of their
posters in their archives , but I have not seen one of their posters anywhere since
the early 70's. I also heard a few of their group still lives in M.V. It would be cool if
someone could dig up some of their posters and post them on this site. I am an
artist myself and when I have time , I will post some of my work , a product of
Marin County Society. Even though Marin has changed , there are still a lot of us
hip people here , we just had to blend in to the program , cut our hair , become self
employeed and drive shiney new cars like everybody else so we won't stand out too
much. No more psychedellic VW buses ' round here.

SteveC · Status: Offline

Speaking of old papers, I worked for the Classifed Gazette at the beginning. Putting it together in some scary part of The City and delivering it out of Riley Hurd's house on Greenwood Beach/Cove (?) Rd in Tiburon.
We used Riley's '65 Mustang fastback and his partner Joe Walsh's '65 Pontiac LeMans Convertible to deliver it all over Marin. Fun delivery trucks (though packed to the gills)

Paul · Status: Offline

Wilbur Lee's Red Cart Market , where longs is now. Wilbur now owns the Pet Club in
the Park Madera Center in C.M.
The Food Mart located where Cabana Home is now. When they knew they were on the
outs, they would sell beer to everyone , and the word spread throught Southern
Marin.
Al Franks Golden Valley Market where WestAmerica bank is now , they had a great
sandwich shop and health food too.
Small World Travel where F. H. Allen Real Estate is now.
Lawsen and Dwyer pharmacy where Pharmaca is now.
The Antenna Theater in the ICM bldg across from City Hall.
The oderous Spice Co. where M.V. services is now.
The Pacific Sun newspaper across from City Hall where the Mill Valley Lodge is now.
Back in the early 60's when I lived in Stinson Beach , the Pacific Sun was printed in the
building next to the Post Office in Aires Store. My how that paper has changed to a
" North Bay Paper " the exact opposite end of the county. I think their support of the
failed SMART train was a big mistake.

Paul · Status: Offline

That was the flood of 1982 that closed the road on the Corte Madera side of Camino
Alto. I was working for the City of Novato Traffic Opreations on that day in January
'82 when the deluge hit. I worked until midnight and when I said I was going home
the managers said " just stay here on the couch in the office , if you go home you
won't come back " I bailed and made it all the way down to my home in M.V. , and
yes I did not return for a few days to work. It's a very long story how I made it home
but one of the highlights was when I came up to the top of the grade and started
down to M.V. officer Greg R. was there and asked where did I come from ? I told him
from C.M. and he said the road just completely slid out a few minutes ago. It was
closed for at least nine months after that.

SteveC · Status: Offline

Speaking of slides.

Scott Highlands in Mill Valley was accessed only from Corte Madera for the same period, maybe not the same year. (I'm losin' it here)

They paved the fire road near the top of Corte Madera Ave. so those people could get to their homes. (While they found consultants !?!, just kidding)

SteveC · Status: Offline

(Kaiser Bros.?) Mill Valley Honda in the same driveway as A-1.

The slide of '69 that closed half the other side of Miller for what 9 months.

"We need consultants to consult the consultants"

Just scoop up the dirt, enough already. And that's what they did.

-- Edited by SteveC at 05:48, 2007-02-26

Paul · Status: Offline

I remember seeing those little baby Subaru's thinking they would be perfect for a
12 year old kid like me.
Living Foods on Throckmorton.
The Mustard Seed at Strawberry Village, the original hippy food. I loved their soy burgers.
A-1 Auto Parts on Miller.

artlife · Status: Offline

ali baba! that was it - thanks, paul

SteveC · Status: Offline

You might recall a street behind the vet clinic which they took out when they built Burger Chef and made the four way stop sign intersection into what it is today.

Down the street was a liquor store and then a car dealer that had a lot full of miniature subaru pickups and vans that I think had two-cylinders engines and I don't think they sold any of them. This was all where a plant store is/was between The Cantina and Lomita Dr.

Eberhardt Used Cars where the rec ctr driveway is.

Also Mac-Andy auto wreckers accross from that lumber co. (the liquor store having the office now) Mill Valley had everything then.

La Camambert restaurant where Dipsea Cafe is.

Meadowsweet Rich · Status: Offline

There was a vet hospital where Gira Poli is now, the vet's bldg. was torn down and Burger Chef was built on the site, our cocker spaniel/poodle had his tail clipped by that vet when we were kids. I remember Tamalpais Lumber down at Tam Junction in the area where the little shopping center is now, just southeast of the Arco station, I think it was run by Fred Roemer & Tom used to drive the delivery truck that brought lumber to the job site when I worked for Merritt Bitz building houses in the mid '70's. Quinn's Bar was next to Mill Valley Market back then and I remember eating at Sonapa Farms back then too, I wish they were still there. Golden Valley Market was on the site where Westamerica is now, on Blithedale Ave. I have a foggy memory of The Canteen behind Tam High, when I would go swimming at Tam we would go there for candy, & I remember buying a hard candy called 'Root Beer Barrels' from an older woman who ran it.

SteveC · Status: Offline

I remember Shamos at Lloyd's Gulf (where jiffy lube is)

What was located where 7-Eleven on Miller is ? Looking down from Dr. Bortfeld's dental office next door in the 60's it was just a foundation like something burned down.

Sonapa Farms was MV being hip without trying (unlike now)

Village Music when it was accross the street and down a bit.

Recap tires manufactured at Malugani's on Montford.

The dump and garbage co. on Camino Alto where the church and middle school are.

Marine World almost being built on Camino Alto.

Paul · Status: Offline

That place in Tam Junction was cafe Ali Baba.
The Resh Gallery where London Chimney is now , they got popped in 1968 for selling
Hash.
The Resh House Cafe in the same building , they used to have live music nightly.
Sonapa Farms next to the Sequoia Theater.
" The Office " bar next to La Ginestra where the entrance to the City parking lot is now.
Marin Muffler next to the Jack in the Box.
The Mobil station across from Whole Foods where their parking lot is now. I remember
one day they had a gas spill that ran out into the gutters on the street and Steve B.
lit it and torched a bunch of cars.
The gas station on E. Blithdale where Mike L. used to work.
Olivera's 76 station on Miller where Shamos used to work.
Banfield rug cleaners next to Santa's.
The 13 bars/bordellos that were on E. Blithdale before Mill Valley became a " dry town "

artlife · Status: Offline

remember at tam junction, before it was the the rug store, that place was the first incarnation of davood's - or some middle eastern/vegetarian place

then istr it moved across the street, near the pet hospital

and davood's downtown with those great 70s carved wood pony walls - became d'angelo's, now piazza d'angelo

and the old mill tavern - where vasco is now

rumor had it there was a body buried under the floor there

rob miller · Status: Offline

Michelle- see the thread-Sundancer

michele · Status: Offline

There was some big hippie store - Indian bedspreads, incense, patchouli oil, etc. back in late 60s. I think it was two floors...

cat · Status: Offline

My friend's family owned a restaurant called Brown's Loft, in downtown Mill Valley, late 70's early 80's.

artlife · Status: Offline

uncle gaylord's was in the el paseo complex - entrance was on sunnyside avenue

was there a business called bizarre bazaar on blithedale?

and prune music! next to the brothers' bar, iirc

-- Edited by artlife at 19:35, 2007-02-18

R54 · Status: Offline

Wasn't there a Top Hat grocery store up the street from Santa's toy store that burned down in the late fifty`s early sixties ? how about Red Cart market.

SteveC · Status: Offline

Where was (previously mentioned) Uncle Gaylord's in pilltown...oops sorry, Mill Valley.

SteveC · Status: Offline

Drake High's Perry Butler opened Perry's (downstairs) and Butler's (upstairs) where Piatti
Mill Valley (at Shelter Bay) is today.

But his places on Union St and downtown near Crocker Galleria are what made him famous.

artlife · Status: Offline

in mill valley, i remember a shoe store, next to strawbridge's - the name escapes me
also, lockwood's drug store, bennett's variety and varney's hardware - oh, the hardwood floors in that place
i don't think you can buy a spool of thread in mill valley anymore

SteveC · Status: Offline

CMM, Yes on the lot. It just looks like the remnants of something. I love to see any pics of the Hi-Ho.

CMM · Status: Offline

SteveC,

Are you talking about the north end, closest to Goodman's? There was really nothing but an open space there and overgrown weeds. At one time there was an experimental dome shaped building there that somebody was trying to market, but I don't know if they poured a cement pad for that. I was pretty young then and my memory is a little fuzzy. I believe it's also been used recently as a commuter lot.

Our restaurant was the Hi-Ho Coffee Shop and the bar was the Hi-Ho Cocktail Lounge. No imagination there. I'm still looking for a menu from the coffee shop that I want to send to Jason to post. In the mid 70's, we leased out the coffee shop to Henderson's Grandmother.

SteveC · Status: Offline

CMM, There is a cement pad today on the right side of your motel. Do you remember what was there at one time ?
Also what was the restaurant/bar called at your motel ?

CMM · Status: Offline

If my memory serves me right, Kubla Khan Restaurant was in the Town and Country Shopping Center which is now Strawberry Village. I believe it was in the back of the center next door to Golden Strawberry Beauty Salon, and eventually it became Yet Wah. The Ancient Mariner Restaurant was at the far end of the center where Strawberry Joe's eventually was.

Sabella's was where the Aqua Hotel is now on Redwood Highway. I have many great memories of that place. My parents knew the Sabella Family very well since we owned our business (the Hi-Ho Motel) just up the street. I had many birthday parties there. It was a special occasion place for us. Remember the fish market next door? Great crab cocktails served with the little oyster crackers.

When Sabella's moved to Tiburon (where Servvino's is now) in the 70's, we were sad to see them go. My husband and I had our wedding reception at the new Sabella's in 1980. Tiburon just didn't have the same charm as the old Mill Valley location, even though the setting was more beautiful.

SteveC · Status: Offline

Pat and Joe's restaurant next to the Book/Bus Depot (a bank now?)

The Palate with deck out back (Palate Burger) somewhere near the Sweetwater

Hamby's next to Tam High

The Canteen behind Tam High

Jody's Junction at Almonte (I forget what it was)

The french restaurant (Le Camambert ?) where the Dipsea Cafe is.

Kublai Khan (?) at Shelter Bay or Town & Country Village
The Cove shopping center when it was called Marin Town & Country

Sabella's at Shelter Bay

"Don't Cook Tonight, Call Chicken Delight" at 393 Miller Ave.
....with the Datsun pick ups with camper shells for delivery
FYI, they're still alive in Canada and maybe one in LA

The soda fountains at the drug stores.

All the car dealerships in MV

Howard Johnson's restaurant/motel where Holiday Inn/Frantoio is.

The original California Cafe in Strawberry behind the center (real estate now)

Burger Chef which became Der Wienerschnitzel and now Gira Poli

The Record Shack on Miller, Santa's Toys and the restaurant next door (now Samurai)

Food King which turned into The Port two story hippie shopping mall (too hip for it's own good)

The Car Wash at Lomita and Ashford

The bridge over the creek/wetlands where E.Blithedale at Rogue Moreas is now

C's Drive In where KFC/Taco Bell is now.

Mill Valley Imports at 489/493 Miller Ave where all those BMWs were sold that started the image.

Purity Supermarket where The Cantina complex is

-- Edited by SteveC at 05:36, 2007-06-20