SAYING GOODBYE

I can remember way back when Newport was a mellow, salty fishing

town, not a status symbol, and the Cannery was a cannery. A little gang

of us would ride our bikes to Newport Elementary from Lido and always on

the way home and we would cruise by the cannery to check out the booty

leftover from what went into those cans of tuna fish. Seeing a pickup

truck full of abalone shells sitting in front of the cannery was a common

but awesome sight. I’m sure I still have a few of those ab shells around

my house and garden. Pismo clam shells were there for the pickin’, too,

and I still remember all the ocean smells that went along with a

true-life waterfront cannery. When it was announced that that property

was to become a restaurant, my little gang and I were appalled. But, ab

shells turned into cocktails and we were stoked to have access to the

insides of our beloved cannery by way of a restaurant. As the Cannery

will now truly become dust, I feel a part of my heritage is being peeled

away. I will always have the memories and the abalone shells, and I am

thankful for that. Farewell to the era of the Cannery ... and thanks for

the memories.

PATSEE OBER

Laguna Beach

I’m very sorry to hear that the Cannery is closing because it was the

site of me and my husband’s first date. I’ll never forget that moonlight

evening. We were married one year later and we have just celebrated our

16th anniversary, so it will always remain a special place in our hearts.

It’s so sad they are going to tear it down, it would be so beautiful to

turn it into a historical village.

KIM OGLE

Newport Beach

We have fond memories of the Cannery Restaurant, particularly after

our engagement in 1991. As a thank you for hosting our engagement party,

we sent both of our families on a brunch cruise aboard the east

Slamahera. We’ll never forget waving to all of them as we sat on the dock

close to the Cannery, knowing that they would enjoy visiting and

discussing our upcoming wedding. It was a special time for our family, so

it’s very memorable for all. We will certainly miss Bill Hamilton and his

staff at the Cannery.

JOHN SPARRE

Balboa

Maybe 10 or 15 years ago, we had two young men come into the bar and

try to order a drink, but they had been drinking already so we turned

them away. They went down to the parking lot, jumped in their car kind of

irate, and put it into reverse and immediately slammed the car over the

dock and into the bay. The car sank and the two men got out and the

police hauled them away. But the interesting part was they came back the

next day and told me they were sorry they caused some damage to our dock,

but couldn’t pay for it. They didn’t have a car and no jobs, and they

were just traveling around the country having a good time. So I was

impressed with them and I offered them a job as buss boys here and they

worked until they paid for the damage and were able to buy another old

junker car and continue on their trip of the good old USA. But they were

nice young men and I was proud that they faced up to their

responsibilities and paid for the damage voluntarily. I was always

wondering what happened to those young men. I wish I knew. I’m sure they

became successful in life with that kind of an attitude.

BILL HAMILTON

Newport Beach

I was at a Christmas party in December 1982 with my date. We decided

to go have a drink at the Cannery. I knew my girlfriend only three weeks

and asked her to go to Australia the next year in August 1983. She

started crying, so I asked her to marry me. We were married Aug. 6, 1983.

We live in Newport Beach, have four children and have never been to

Australia. Thanks, Bill, for the memories.

GEORGE AND NANCY BARFIELD

Newport Beach

It was April 1978. I was back at home taking a short break (well, it

was supposed to be short) from UC Santa Barbara. I really missed all of

my high school friends, and was told that I would run into “everyone”

from Newport Harbor High School if I got a job at the Cannery. Upon

getting hired, I was told of a really cute older bartender (he was all of

27) and began my search for the mystery man. Once I finally met him, I

totally agreed that he was quite the catch. We chatted in the employee

meal room and soon I realized that he was the man for me. After a

whirlwind courtship we were engaged within eight weeks and married the

following March. We will celebrate our 21st year of marriage on March

17th. The Cannery will always hold a dear place in our hearts. So with

this in mind, I now pose the following question to Bill Hamilton and Teri

Hatelberg: “Now may we please have a Bemis bean bag as a memento?” Thanks

for the memories.

ROBIN AND BOB SINCLAIR

Newport Beach

In May 1985, my husband Corrie took me to the Cannery Restaurant for

dinner for our very first date. We were married in October 1986 and have

been going to the Cannery every year for 12 years for our anniversary. We

also go there for my birthday every year and other celebrations. This

year on Oct. 4 it will be our 13th anniversary (lucky 13) and the Cannery

will be closed.

I’m not sure where we will go, but it won’t be the same. It’s a shame

that it couldn’t be saved as a historical site.

SANDI AND CORRIE KATES

Costa Mesa

When I was going to Cal State Fullerton, I took an art class and we

went down and we sketched the old Cannery before it was made into a

restaurant. I did it on black ink on white paper. It’s about 12 by 18

inches. My art teachers thought it was pretty good. I’ve got it framed

and it hangs over my sofa, so if you need one, I’ve got one.

NADEAN O’BRIEN

Huntington Beach

To the Cannery. Thank you for the lemon wedges. Sincerely, Gordon

Atkinson Jr., longtime customer.

GORDON ATKINSON JR.

Newport Beach

Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away 10 years ago. But prior to

that, she liked the restaurant. She was 89 when she passed away. Probably

when she was about 87 we went to the restaurant and it was packed, so we

went up to the bar and we were sitting on a bar stool and trying to get

the attention of the bartender and she couldn’t get his attention. It was

so funny that one of the waitresses was at a table right next to the bar

and she was kind of bending over serving drinks. My grandmother couldn’t

get anyone’s attention so she reached over and tugged on the girl’s

panties. The waitress pulled around and about ready to smack her, and

then soon as she had a big open hand, she spun around and saw it was a

little old lady and just had a big smile on her face. She asked my

grandmother if she could be of assistance. But it was really cute. I’ve

enjoyed many meals, but that was my most memorable occasion.

MICHAEL EUBANKS

Balboa Peninsula

When I worked at Coast Community College, I very well remember going

to the Cannery and climbing up the narrow stairway to Walter Longmoor’s

office, who was on the board of trustees and was one of the owners of the

restaurant, to have contracts signed for the Coast Community College

District.

MARIAN PAERRIN

Newport Beach