Nostalgic For My Youth Series: Original Location Of "The Creamery" (a.k.a. Velvet Creamery)

As a courtesy for fun_51 and JAB88 - I said you two had me feeling nostalgic, so I braved the 90-odd degree Modesto, CA heat (Thank goodness for working car air conditioning!) and snagged some shots of some familiar areas of my youth...

 

This location, about a few minutes' walk from my house (or a couple minutes' drive) that recently housed Mena's Pub And Grill (Has been "For Lease" for quite a few years") was home to Smoky's Pub And Grill when it relocated from lower McHenry Avenue...

 

However, before that, back in the late 1970s/early 1980s, it was one of the first locations for The Creamery, an ice cream and sandwich shop founded and initially owned by Modesto native and businessman Dan Costa, who grew and franchised the chain to 29 eateries.

 

Dan Costa eventually sold off The Creamery, which had become The Velvet Creamery And Grill (Two locations are still in business in Modesto to this day.), started up Mallard's Restaurant (which stayed in business until about 2007), and Mallard's Inn on Sisk Rd. in Modesto. (Now a Courtyard By Marriott)

 

I used to come here with family and friends quite often in my childhood and adolescent days, to have ice cream, or a sandwich.

 

I visited here a few times when it became Smoky's, but cirumstances, and other interests made my visits here rather infrequent.

 

It pains me that this property is still sitting vacant for so long. I'd love to see something, perhaps another restaurant, occupy this rather important corner of this shopping center.

 

Perhaps when the economy revives?

Done