Bordenave's Bakery in San Rafael is celebrating 90 years in business this year, awesome fresh baked French bread can be bought out of their storefront right next to the bakery on Fourth St. Great deals on day old bread too.
The Rancho Nicasio has been around since 1941. Across the street, the Druid's hall has been around since 1933, and actually, the Nicasio Grove of the Druids was formed in 1885. There used to be a general store adjacent to the current Druids hall which is where they held their meetings prior. The Nicasio Grove is still active & conducts regular meetings at the hall.
Also, the Cheese Factory out in Hicks Valley. Not sure of the exact date, but I do have pictures from 1927.
Jimbo's Hot Dogs in San Rafael has been around for as long as I can remember (which is just about 35 years). It's on the frontage road off 101 in Terra Linda, near the office park there. Drove by it for years, and begged my parents to take me there, but they never would. So finally, last year I took my kids there. It's definitely a retro experience.
the Lark, Fairfax, & Rafael theaters have all been around that long, Bon Air shell in greenbrae(Zims/Arthurs used to be nextdoor), it's still there, The Tamalpais retirement home in Greenbrae, San Rafael Yacht club(francisco blvd), Marin Rod and Gun club, Frank's Mini Marts(Famous Deli's), 1 in Ignacio, 1 on upper Lincoln ave., the 7-11 store on Medway in the Canal, the one on North San Pedro rd, and the one on sir frances drake in Fairfax are all still here, that's pretty much all my brain wants to push out right now, but I know there is more!
Don's wife Marilyn owned it for close to 10 or 15 years if my memory serves me correctly but, I'd have to ask my mom who was Marilyn's close friend until she died of cancer quite a while ago.
I think a man named Chester purchased Jim's Tavern and named it The Silver Peso. He was an adventurer who had dived for pesos off the coast of the Phillipines after WWII. He found a bunch, too. An interesting man who later owned The Rustic Inn in Glen Ellen.
cat wrote: The Silver Peso is an institution. I have to brag a little.... my grandfather owned it during the '40's and very early '50's, when it was Bob's Tavern.
Very cool. I first knew it, later in the 50s, as "Jim's Tavern," which very few seem to remember. Well, "knowing" it in the sense that I saw the sign whenever I walked past it. I do vaguely remember the lunchroom being off to the side.
The Silver Peso is an institution. I have to brag a little.... my grandfather owned it during the '40's and very early '50's, when it was Bob's Tavern. There was a coffe shop attached to it, where the pool tables are right now (Ithink, it's been a long time since I've been there) and my mom used to help sell doughnuts there before school sometimes. My great-grandfather built the horseshoe shaped bar, and he put double doors in on the street side so that the people who went to the Rosebowl dances could get in easier. The doors are gone, but you can still see where they would have been. The janitor lived in a shed in the back. I think my grandfather had a partner, but he left and opened up the Rosebowl Chateau across the street.
The barber shop in downtown Larkspur. It's in different hands now, and is called "Bill's" rather than "Larkspur Barber Shop," but not only is it still a barber shop, it still has the very same barber chairs I got every single one of my haircuts in throughout the 1950s. It and the Silver Peso should be declared National Monuments.
I wonder how many different people have owned Dimitroffs ? A fellow by the name of Don Lincoln who was one of my dad's coworkers at KPIX supposeedly owned it for a while in the 1960's, having purchased it as a business his wife could run, as she was a painter. I'm not sure how long they ran it, but I remember my dad mentioning that they owned it for a while & finally sold it.
RE the Disco and Max posts. Actually, it was "MAC'S". An acronym for something like "Marin Associated Consumers", or something really close to that. It was a membership sort of deal, you had to buy into it and pay dues. My parents were members and I still have my Dad's membership card. I guess the deals were good! Anyone remember their big ,animated neon sign that could be seen from 101?
Disco! Right, totally remember it, next to the yacht harbor. Wasn't it called Max's at one point? And what about Perry's Art Supplies on the Miracle Mile? It's been there since the early 60's.
The Royal Frankfurter at Fourth near Lincoln unchanged for 35 years but they want to sell and retire. Go there because I doubt it will stay the same. The place is well worn plus that couple that has run it all of the 35 is half the reason to go.
Wasn't the store (now Mt. Tam Racquet Club) called Disco? There was another one in San Rafael on W. Francisco. (later the Record Factory). They had cosmetics and wigs, but I mostly remember the toy section, because that's where I hung out while my mom shopped.
Also, the 76 Station at Bon Air is gone - just torn down in the last couple of months.
The Red Kettle at Montecito Shopping Center in San Rafael. It changed to Sam's Family Restaurant. Now it’s the Redwood Credit Union. When I was young, they used to give you a little Red Kettle pot for your birthday! Lots of memories.
BTW Thank you for such a great website!! I am looking for my pictures that I took of the old Court house being destroyed by fire. I also have some pics of the riot at the Marin IJ when it was on 3rd and Bst.
perry's deli. various locations, but i'm thinking fairfax. originally where ghiringhelli's pizza is now but moved (in the early 70s?) across broadway/parkade/drake to the old post office bldg. i worked there for several years. i remember when a sandwich was $1.10!
And who can overlook that Marin icon we have all come to know and love, that wonderful white pillar of steam along 101 in Corte Madera known as Handi Kup! LOL
Actually I think it's Dart Cup now, so maybe the change in ownership disqualifies it...
The Dandy Market on Merrydale past the McDonald's. We used to ride our horses there from Los Ranchitos, tie them up out front and get ice cream sandwiches and cokes on really hot summer days - that was 1972.
31 Flavors on B Street in San Rafael Silbermann's (used to be Swensen's) ice cream in Northgate The No Name (last time I checked, anyway!) and Seven Seas in Sausalito The Belli Delli
Burn's Florist (originally on 5th near C and now on 4th) The Spinnaker (Sausalito) IHOP (still on 4th) The Alta Mira (Sausalito) Jack's Drugstore (San Anselmo) T & B Sports (on 4th) Mike's Bikes (San Rafael since 1964!)
Lafayette Pastry - D Street between 3rd and 2nd. Get there NOW! Soon to be demolished and ugly highrise condos to take it's place. (there goes the neighborhood - another nice local business bites the dust).
Pete's 881 Club - San Rafael (at 881 Fourth St. originally then moved near Irwin) Milani's B St. Tavern (B and 3rd) Pini Ace Hardware -Novato Arena Feed Store - Novato Marin Tack and Feed - Fairfax See's Candies - Fourth Street Western Sport Shop - 3rd St. Western Boat and Tackle - 2nd st. past Montecito Scotty's Market - Terra Linda
These may not be over 35 years old, but they've been around as long as I can remember -
Gunnings Hobbies - San Anselmo - I used to buy trains there when I was a kid in the 70s. Mt. Tam Raquet Club - I used to swim with the Mt. Tam Tidalwaves there back in the mid-70s. I think it was some kind of store before it was a club. Village Peddler - Larkspur - I think it expanded at one time, it's bigger now than I remember. Corte Madera Rec Center Donut Alley - Larkspur ...and of course...McDonalds on the Miracle Mile in San Rafael, and the one on 101 in Strawberry I'm sure I'll think of more...
I would say the "Spee-dees" (aka 7-11) at the Oak Manor shopping center in Fairfax. It has been there pretty darn close to 35 years. Also, probably Deer Park Villa in Fairfax.
How about an ongoing list of the few things that haven't changed in Marin, and here's a start: Marin Joe's; LoCoco's in TL; Kientze's Bakery in San Anselmo (OK, it has a different name now [Royal Sweet], but the donuts are still the best); Lark Theater revived; Zappentini's + Marelli's in San Rafael; Vladimir's in Inverness... it's hard to think of many! I was going to say Mt Tam, but it is so much more used now than then, by dog walkers, runners, etc.