I think the butcher at the Food Mart was Maury Guy...he recently passed away. Borden's was great...my family would go there and have cones once a week...best peach ice cream ever!
I remember the Borden's shop. When I went to San Rafel High in 1959, I used to get a ride in from Lucas Valley, and hang out at the coffee shop with other students before school started. Sometimes I would go there after school and hang out. There were usually quite a few students there.
Bordens sat in the lot which is now Citibank. It was a much smaller lot at the time with the restaurant sitting on the west end of the lot adjacent to the railroad tracks on 4th street. The trains engines used to park overnight at this location. The trains were only used for freight at that time, and I don't remember what Whistlestop building was used for at that time, (maybe it was still owned by the railroad?). Anyway yes the stools were red or pink and the restaurant was long and narrow, along with the counter/stools that ran the debth of the building I believe there was one row of booths adjacenet to the counter that also ran the length of the building.
Aw, yes, The Food Mart. We actually had an account there. It was just a little reciept book that you had to initial. Gen was the produce guy. Rollo the butcher used to give my brother and me raw Vienna sausages when Dad went for steaks. Myrna. Remember Myrna? She was there for ever.
I remember smoke butts on the red painted floor. Towards the end, the stock on the shelves was looking a little tired. Lots of dust and what not. Talk about personalized service. The folks there were always friendly and helpful. I remember I could get a Shasta root beer and a Hershey bar for 25 cents and still have a dime left from my allowance.
My mother and farther used to go to Borden's every sunday for a ice cream cone. We enjoyed thier ice cream until they closed. I don't why they closed because it was a very popular place.
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Anonymous
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RE: Borden's Ice Cream & The Food Mart - San Rafael
Yes I remeember it. My parents would take us there maybe 4 times a year as a treat. My father liked it because they used real whipped cream, not the aerosol type. It was located on 4th St at the east end toward the railroad station.
Does anyone remember Borden's Ice Cream in San Rafael and The Food Mart that Mel LaFranchi owned? The Food Mart was between Tamalpais and Lincoln Ave, 5th and 4th across from the Red Cross building. I can't remember exactly where Borden's was but I do remember sitting on big pink and yellow stools having ice cream sundaes and malts.
