I noted the mention of the remodeled Healdsburg Bar & Grill in your “Healdsburg Today!” column (story in The Tribune, Dec. 11). My grandfather, George Hansen, owned the bar for 10 years from 1952-62. It was named the Sportsmen’s Lodge back then. He sold it to one of his bartenders, a local man, Alex Biagini. My grandparents had initially planned for it to be a French Basque restaurant and bar, but that didn’t materialize.
It certainly was a different time in the ’Burg back then. Dogs and kids were allowed to wander around in the bars. And along the stretch of (then) West Street and Plaza Street, it seemed there were so many bars! All the owners supported each other and enjoyed beers at the different establishments.
I used to ride my tricycle in the bar during the early 1950s. There was a jukebox in the corner that played 78 RPM records. My grandfather always kept a pot of stew, lentils or chicken going in the back kitchen. The “hobos” of that time would come up for a handout from the empty field where Safeway is now. We’d see them “riding the rails” along the tracks, too. One semi-regular customer could imitate almost any train whistle from across the U.S. It was impressive!…