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SiliGoneValley-HoldersOnDeAnza

Wed, 8/3 2:03PM • 5:45

SUMMARY KEYWORDS holders, places, saratoga, boulevard, breakfast, country, pancakes, wonderful, couple, family, original, santana row, denny, country inn, many great memories, pancake, business, holder, silicon valley, trader SPEAKERS Christopher Garcia Christopher Garcia  Come with me. We're going to Silicon Valley Christopher Garcia  On July 27 2022, Holder's country inn on Saratoga, Sunnyvale or deAnza Boulevard, or whatever it's called at that moment, burned down. Well, it didn't burn down the fire gutted, the interior damage the roof, and it will likely have to be raised. Holders is an interesting story that, in a way, inhabit several points in Silicon Valley. Christopher Garcia  From their website in 1957, Jack and Anne holder sold their Dairy Queen business in Roseburg, Oregon, and moved their family to the Valley of heart's delight. And open Uncle John's Pancake House in Santa Clara. I seem to remember that vaguely. And I do remember a coffee shop on, I believe, Scott, that seemed to be in that same realm. It was a wonderful, wonderful place. Christopher Garcia  But what I'm actually more connected to was the holders country in at the Old Town and Country village. And that was across the street from Valleyfair. And what is now today, Santana row. And I only went there a few times, there were usually long lines, particularly on the weekends, but from 1967 through 1999. Holders country inn was one of the primary places you would go for breakfast in the morning. Places like mini gourmet was sort of in a different realm. And just a little later, it informed how places like Stacks would do their breakfasts. The portions were large and delicious, particularly the pancakes were fantastic. I usually get pancakes and sausage and do pigs in a blanket. Of course, the biscuits and gravy were also phenomenal. What's wonderful is that even when they were forced to move to relocate the destruction of the town and country to be replaced by Santana row in 1989, meant that a number of places had to leave. And they found the spot on DeAnza Boulevard in a prime location. And at that point, it wasn't quite as prime. I believe the Home Depot was already there. I think what is now a Japanese sushi place at that point might have still been the Carl's Jr. There was another Japanese restaurant, I believe a couple of plant stores where they're still the Trader Joe's was not there yet for sure. Nor the Popeyes for that matter. You had the Taco Bell. Couple of other places, I think there was a KFC. And you had to pretend your arms just a little bit further down. It was a solid part of town. And that part was definitely going to be growing and growing rather quickly. And what ended up happening was it became the breakfast spot once we lost the original Pancake House, which is just on the other side of 85. And again, even more of a following when Clark's closed. These were all replaced mostly by new businesses that were drawing in sort of the family get the Trader Joe's is an excellent example. But you also had the CVS, the things up and down there. I think in 99, probably through about 2007. Maybe less than that. You had diddums, for example. And you had the new library that in the same ish neighborhood. It was turning that area into more and more of a not necessarily destination, but a place where you would stop when you're doing a dozen other things. And holders was phenomenal. There's still one on Saratoga Avenue, which opened in 1995, which was at the original hole the holders was in the Paseo and when they knocked down the original to build the new one, which now has the AMC and all that move down which is a good thing. Actually. That one still active, still wonderful. Lots of outdoor seating very important. It's places like these that we lost when we lost the original Pancake House that a lot of them have been going away lately. They're a step up from Denny's. But the most important thing about them is they are dependable family type restaurants but are a level above your Applebee's your Denny's your things like that because they are serving. I don't want to say more genuine food but it's it's hearty. It has a authenticity towards this idea of what an American Christopher Garcia  breakfast is. I think one of the things that I really enjoy is that they very Are you pointedly note that their family of six sons and a daughter are all still in the business that their parents founded? That's wonderful to see. Because that sort of continuity leads to the traditions of reasonable prices of good food of great dishes that need to continue on down the line. I'm sad to see this one go to Silicon Valley. Hopefully they'll rebuild. But honestly, even if they don't, I'll have many many great memories of stuffing my face full of pancakes at holders country and on data Boulevard.

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