Story by Gray Gardner
Email Gray: [email protected]
Dear June, I simply loved that old place after Dave, Sam, & Paul, The Distillery Guys, bought it and re-opened it in 1974 or 75. A lot of the “Distillery Locals” would spend about half their time there, especially because it had a Dance Floor, and some great Rock & Roll Bands .Also by this time the food at the Distillery was really starting to catch on in the whole Bay Area, the Locals weren’t there to scare off the tourists .
I have somewhere,the ticket (Certified) for the First Drink sold at the Grand Re-opening.
I stayed there,upstairs, several times on visits after I moved back to Missouri and Ohio, The pipes were so Calcified, that it took ½ hour to take a shower. I never quite forgave the Guys for tearing it down and building the Chart House.(I don’t think it had anything to do with the Coastal Commission). When David Andrews took it back over in 2000-2001, and failed, he blamed the problem on Parking, which WAS part of the problem, but location, & the number of new Restaurants around added to the problem. But the new building and atmosphere weren’t attractive to the locals as well .
I have often thought that if someone could re-create the old 1950’s Roadhouse at that location it would be packed.
Take care-Gray