Sonorous announcer: When we last left “Hal Linker,” he was reminiscing about restaurants. As we resume today, he is still reminiscing about restaurants. But first he mentions a clothing store:
Robert Hall’s was the cheap suit place that my parents took me to because I would grow out of them so fast. Located east of Central on Holt.
Re: Betsy Ross: Who didn’t love the place! Wolfing down a Gettysburger with a chocolate malt or coke and then getting a Paul Revere (their version of a banana royale) to top it off. The red, white and blue-themed restaurants only had five locations. Pomona Valley Center opened 1955, Foothill near Mountain in Upland opened 1964, Foothill near Griswolds opened 1959, Grand Avenue Glendora opened 1969; 969 East Holt 1958. There was also an original location on Garey which was ice cream only.
Another couple of historic Chino restaurant locations:
* The Big W on the NW corner of Riverside Drive and Benson. The Big W is long gone, torn down in the 1960s. A 7-Eleven now sits at its approximate location.
* The Pizza King, also on the NW corner of Riverside Drive and Benson. The Pizza King was in the approximate location of Flo’s No. 2.
* Gold Rooster restaurant on Central just south of Mission. Building still stands but is now Players or something like that, a pool playing bar. The Gold Rooster was an affordable restaurant with delicious chicken and halibut and steak at a good value.
Will Hal find love? Will he stop eating out? What does he remember about Montclair Plaza? And what about … Naomi? (Sorry, a little “Electric Company” humor.) Tune in tomorrow for the final (?) installment of “As the Valley Turns.”
