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Background
There are many businesses around San Francisco and in other cities that have "Cable Car" in their names. I list these businesses not to endorse them but to mention them as a reflection of peoples' interest in cable cars.
I welcome reports about other businesses.
- Cable Car Café
- Cable Car Charters
- Cable Car Cleaners
- Cable Car Clothiers
- Cable Car Coffee
- Cable Car Financial
- Cable Car Hotel/Cable Car Village
- Cable Car Station Gift Co
- The Cable Car Store
- Fred Solari's Grill/Cable Car Cocktail Lounge
- Joe's Cable Car Restaurant
- Sam's Cable Car Lounge
- Steve's Cable Car Room
- Tony's Cable Car Restaurant
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Cable Car Café
The Cable Car Café is at 423 1/2 Grand Avenue in South San Francisco. I have to go there one day.
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Cable Car Charters was founded by San Francisco entrepreneur Arnold S Gridley. In 1958, the San Francisco Municipal Railway auctioned off all but twelve of the cable cars it had inherited from the California Street Cable Railroad. Gridley bid on a group of the cars, and then had to think of what to do with them. He figured out how to put them on truck chassis. He rented them out for parades and other events. Many of his cars appeared in movies. By the time of Gridley's death in 2004, Cable Car Charters had 60 motorized cable cars; 15 were original cars from Cal Cable and the rest were reproductions.
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(Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1968-06-25) |
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Cal Cable Car 46 was sold by Muni to the owner of Tacoma's Steve's Gay '90s. It is currently operated by Cable Car Charters. Here it is decorated for the 2005 Carnaval Parade |
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Cable Car Cleaners is at the corner of Hyde and California. November, 2012. |
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Cable Car Clothiers has sold British clothing to gentlemen in San Francisco since 1939. I bought a nice rain hat there. August 2006. |
In August, 2012 I spotted a sign saying that Cable Car Clothiers was having a moving sale. The store was leaving its location at Bush and Sansome to return to Sutter Street. I went in and bought a wonderful cap for 30% off.
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A sign announces the moving sale. August 2012. |
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My cap. August 2012. |
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A moving sale ad. |
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The new location. October 2012. |
Cable Car Clothiers opened in its new location on Sutter Street in October, 2012.
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A necktie from gentlemen's store Cable Car Clothiers. I have a red one and a navy blue one. April, 2022 Picture of the Month. |
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A 1971 newspaper ad for Cable Car Clothiers. |
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Cable Car Clothiers offered a belt with a special buckle to commemorate the centennial. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1973-08-02, Page 13). |
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Cable Car Coffee in Hallidie Plaza. November 2001. Photo by Joe Thompson. |
The Cable Car Coffee Company has been in San Francisco's Hallidie Plaza since 1988. They have locations in several other cities.
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A window advertises Cable Car Financial in Disney's California Adventure. Their slogan is "Riding the Ups and Downs of Finance". July 2006. Photo by Rosemarie Thompson. All rights reserved. |
Cable Car Hotel/Cable Car Village
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The Cable Car Hotel San Francisco is on California near Hyde. November, 2012. |
The Cable Car Hotel sits at the diagonally opposite corner from the site of the California Street Cable Railroad's cable car barn. I was surpised to learn that the hotel got its name from a 1950s night club which was in the same building.
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This item is an early reference to nightclub called "Cable Car Village," which was located at California and Hyde, which was also the location of the California Street Cable Railroad's powerhouse and carbarn. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1950-12-23). |
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Popular columnist Herb Caen cracked wise about how the Cable Car Village advertised itself as being "At the Foot of Nob Hill." (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1950-12-26). |
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A man was accused of setting the club on fire after he was 86ed for being "belligerent." Damages were assessed at $5,000. This was the second fire in a month. (Source: The Salinas Californian, 1951-01-04). |
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The man who was accused of setting the club on fire. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1951-01-05). |
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Celebrities like William Holden frequented the Cable Car Village. The "curvy conductorettes" sound interesting. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1951-02-17). |
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The success of the Cable Car Village inspired the other occupant of the building to rename itself as the Cable Car Hotel. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1951-02-24). |
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Columnist Herb Caen gave his approval to a nightclub called "Cable Car Village," which was located at California and Hyde, which was also the location of the California Street Cable Railroad's powerhouse and carbarn. Phil Longo and his Afro-Cubans played hot rumba music. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1951-November-02). |
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Phil Longo and his Afro-Cubans. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1951-December-16). |
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Cleo L Tapp was convicted of setting the club on fire. I can't find a record of his sentence. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1952-February-22). |
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Connie Jordan played the trumpet and sang. "Extra Added Attraction! Peter Rabbit"? (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1952-June-21). |
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Leomine Gray, "Sensational Queen of Piano and Song" did a remote broadcast from the Cable Car Village, a San Francisco nightclub, over radio station KYA on Sundays. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1952-July-26). September 2024 Picture of the Month. |
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Leomine Gray. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1951-March-17). September 2024 Picture of the Month. |
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The Cable Car Village was still operating in 1957 when it got busted for serving alcohol to underage customers. Note that the Blue Topper had its license suspended "for employing a female bartender." (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1957-August-30). |
The Cable Car Station Gift Co at 2713 Taylor Street sells souvenirs.
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The Cable Car Store at San Francisco's Pier 39 carries a large collection of cable car-related souvenirs. February 2002. Photo by Joe Thompson. |
Fred Solari's Grill/Cable Car Cocktail Lounge
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An ad for the Cable Car Cocktail Lounge in Fred Solari's Grill at 21 Maiden Lane. "Have a HIGHBALL at NITEFALL." (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 06-January-1951). November, 2024 Picture of the Month. |
Before the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, Swiss-Italian brothers Fred and Camille Solari worked in the Palace Hotel Grill.
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After the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, The Solari brothers opened a grill on Ellis near Van Ness. I don't know which brother was "Joe." I like the way the ad has the ampersand in a circle. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 15-August-1947). |
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On 04-April-1908, the brothers moved to a new and classier location, at 354 Geary, near the Saint Francis Hotel. "Orchestra music will be a feature every evening." (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 04-April-1908). |
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In 1913, Fred struck out on his own and opened Fred Solari's Grill at Geary and Mason, next to the Columbia Theater. The Columbia later became the Geary Theater. "Especially delightful cabaret entertainment from 6 to 12 p.m.." (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 24-December-1913). |
Camille Solari died in 1917 and his widow Mary continued to run Solari's Grill until she died in 1949. The restaurant closed in 1957.
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In 1933 Fred Solari took Peter J Curtiss, who operated the resort at Skaggs Springs, as a partner. The Skaggs Springs resort closed in 1942 and my dad later built the Warm Springs Dam, which inundated the site of the resort. I explored it with my father while the dam was being built. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 05-February-1933). |
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In 1947 Fred Solari retired and Rudy De Gorog took over. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 15-August-1947). |
I wish I could have asked my grandfather, who was chef and partner at the Fly Trap Restaurant, if he knew Fred Solari or the DePaolos.
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An ad for the reopening of Fred Solari's Grill at 21 Maiden Lane, then under the management of Tommy Smith, later referred to as Tommy De Paolo, and Frankie De Paolo. "Newly decorated, Cable Car motif more beautiful than ever. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 04-October-1949, page 11). |
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An ad for the Cable Car Room in Fred Solari's Grill at 21 Maiden Lane. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 07-December-1950, page 1). |
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Another ad for the Cable Car Cocktail Lounge in Fred Solari's Grill at 21 Maiden Lane. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 09-March-1950). |
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This ad calls the grill "Old Fred Solari's and does not mention the Cable Car Cocktail Lounge. (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 27-July-1951). |
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Fred Solari died on 12-January-1952. He was called "The Mayor of Maiden Lane." (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 13-January-1952). |
Joe's Cable Car Restaurant (no relation)
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Joe's Cable Car. June, 2013. |
On a bright and sunny June day, we drove over to Mission and Silver to visit Joe's Cable Car Restaurant, which is famous for its hamburgers. We got there early, and it filled up rapidly. My wife ordered a mushroom burger with onion rings and I ordered an avocado burger with French fries. We admired the eclectic decor while we waited for our food. The cooks ring a cable car bell when orders are up.
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Joe's Cable Car, with a neon cable car in the corner window. June, 2013. July, 2013 Picture of the Month. |
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"Joe Grinds His Own Fresh Chuck Daily" says a sign on the wall by the parking lot. June, 2013. |
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A selection of signs in the parking lot. June, 2013. |
The burgers were both very good. My bun held together till the last couple of bites. The mushrooms were good. The avocado was a little firmer than I liked, but everything tasted good. My wife said the onion rings were excellent. I tried an one and it was light, not greasy. The fries were nice, but I like the ones at Bill's better. Both hamburgers came with a slice of cantaloupe. I was full before I finished my fries. We agreed we would come back.
I didn't get to see owner Joe Obegi.
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Custom-labeled condiments on our table. June, 2013. |
A waitress brought our bill and picked up the money, saying she would bring back our change. We waited a while and another waitress brought us another bill for the same amount and went to another table. I caught her on her way back and said we had already paid and were waiting for our change. She apologized and went back to look for our change. She brought it soon after.
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A view of the eclectic decor, looking out to the corner of Mission and Silver. Lots of buses went by while we were eating. The neon cable car is just visible. June, 2013. |
On 29-January-2014, a report on KPIX Channel 5 said that Joe Obegi is going to close the restaurant in March and retire.
On 16-March-2014, Joe Obegi closed the restaurant and retired.
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Joe's Cable Car advertised in the Examiner's Northern Callifornia Dining Guide (Source: San Francisco Examiner, 1987-09-30). |
Sam's Cable Car Lounge at 222 Powell Street has a cable car-inspired decor. I have not visited.
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Steve's Gay '90s was a restaurant in Tacoma, Washington. It had a "Cable Car Room", with booths resembling cable cars.
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A postcard showing Steve's Cable Room, with cable car booths, and the Gay '90s room, with "surrey with a fringe on top" tables. |
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Tony's Cable Car neon sign. August 2006. September, 2006 Picture of the Month. |
Tony's Cable Car, a tiny hamburger stand, is located at Geary and Lyon in San Francisco. I've never eaten there, but I have always admired their neon sign. People speak highly of their shakes and curly fries.
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An exterior view of Tony's Cable Car. August 2006. |
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