I grew up on Skyline Rd. I've never heard it called Hawthorne Hills though. I've always heard it called Rancho de Herrera. Our neighbors were regulars at the Old Timer's Club. I remember it closing in the early 70s. Next door (heading west) was the do-it-yourself car wash that is still there. The garbage company stored it's trucks in the garage next to that, I think it might have been Marin Sanitation? There was an upholstery shop next to that and then Don's Market. My mom was friends with Winnie Isetta, who was the daughter of Andy. She just passed away in the last couple of years. The other Isetta kids were Andy Jr., who was principal at Marin Catholic in the 80s; Elinor, who ran a card shop next door where the upholstery shop was; Mike, who later took over the store and also owned the Bolinas store, that I believe Bucky Chavez owned later. I think he might have owned a store in Tomales too; and Joanie, who was much younger. She was still in high school when I was 10 or so. I used to have my school picture up behind the cash register. I still can't get used to going in there and seeing the counter on the WRONG side of the store. I do like the Kim's that have owned the store since the 80s. Nice people.
Town Hardware was the next building - that held on for an impressive run into the early 90s, then it was a comic book shop for a while. Marin Tack and Feed has been there for many years. My friend Jessica Lashbrook owns it. I just spoke to my dad on the phone, who said the corner building was a grocery back in the 40s or 50s and the gas station across the street was a Union 76, which I very vaguely remember.
On the SW corner of Suffield and Drake was I think a Quick Stop. It became a sporting good store, from where I got my first skateboard. Later it split in half and was a dry cleaners and a Dominos Pizza outlet. Mauro's Pizza is there now.
Hi Rob: and I thought I knew something about the area you describe! Thanks so much for the detailed info...I learned all sorts of new stuff. FYI...Standing on SFD Blvd at Suffield and looking west about half a block on the north side of the street (before you get to Willow on the Fairfax side) there was a Signal Oil Company gas station. As a very young kid, I remember going in there with my Mom in our Model A Ford. Speaking of gas stations, I especially remember the first gas station to be located on SFD (southside) just west of the junction(hub). Friends of my parents owned the station and they sold ( I think)_ Mobil Gas. I haven't been in Marin in a few years, so I'm not too sure "whats there now". What kind of business do you have? Keep up the research...SFdrake
I didn't grow up in the neighborhood, but my wife and myself rented some commercial space in the neighborhood late 90's, and, I did pay attention to older details, and subtle and not-so-subtle changes. We had the "back half" of what is now the hair cutting joint known as the Beauty Bar. Long time residents will remember it as "The Old Timer's Club". On Sir Francis Drake Blvd.If my history is correct, (and it is often skewed), I date the place to pre 1910. It was in business as a bar until the mid sixties. If you look, there are still iron rings on the short, concrete wall out front, to tie up your horse. The arcitecture is typical of the period.Completely solid old-growth redwood. I recall going up into the attic, and it smelled like fresh cut wood. Like the wood had just recently been sawn into planks. Very fragrant. The original bar and back-bar are still in the main room, with a trap door in the floor behind the bar, that dropped to the crawl space underneath. Big enough for an adult to easily jump through, or maybe to dump bottles. Empty or not. Prohibition-era raid? Out back, there is a great old barn. Typical of what nearly everyone had in the 1890's thru the 1910's. Still in pretty good shape, too. Recent paint, etc. During the time we worked there, Don's Market, just a block down SFD, towards Fairfax, was the spot to hit for snacks, junk food, cold beer, etc. I'm figureing that short commercial strip that includes Don's, probably grew up in the 30's, and parralleled the growth of Hawthorn hills. I've read that Don's was originally an Italian market and butcher shop. In fact, the wall and ceiling supported track system for running half carcasses and other big cuts of meat around between the loading dock, cooler, and cutting areas is still intact........Now, it's just another "convenience" and liquor store......."But gee, I don't want Cheetos and a Red Bull, I want a rib roast"...Sorry Buddy, Wrong Decade.
