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Granzella’s, Garrison’s and the Nut Tree ain’t what they used to be, but the Freeway Tree saved the day
Late Tuesday afternoon, my car took the Williams exit out of habit, like a horse seeking the comfort of a familiar pasture. I was heading home from a few days in San Francisco.
I knew about the recent fire that destroyed Granzella’s. Supposedly, a pizza oven was the culprit. But I had to see what remained of Granzella’s for myself. What I saw shocked me: Nothing but dirt, surrounded by a chain-link fence.
The plot looked so weird without Granzella’s old wood building and its front porch with the picnic benches and the swinging entry doors marked “in” and “out” - directions road-weary customers sometimes obeyed and sometimes didn’t.
Like all construction sites, this one looked much too small for the former Granzella’s restaurant, deli and sports bar.
A vinyl sign on the fence thanked Granzella’s customers for their patience, and promised a spring 2008 opening.
I felt so sad that I thought I’d just get it over with and walk kitty corner across Williams’ main street to Garrison’s, one of my favorite funky junk stores, a delightful combination treasure trove and junk pile.
For me, the fun at Garrison’s was always in the hunt. But Garrison’s was not for the claustrophobic. It had towering shelves, some of which reached the ceiling and rooms so dark and congested that flashlights were provided, even in the middle of the day.
Tuesday, the locked door held a piece of taped, brown paper. It contained a message that looked as if it was scribbled in a hurry. Basically, it said the city of Williams refused to renew Garrison’s business license. It was signed by Mr. Garrison’s daughters.
Beside the note was a yellowed newspaper clipping of an obituary for William Earl Garrison. It said he died in Williams on Aug. 26, 2006, and he was born in Baxter, Tenn., on Aug. 23, 1920.
The obituary mentioned his military record, and his namesake store that he opened after he returned from World War II, and memorial donations to an Alzheimer’s fund, and the fact that he once worked in Redding at McColl’s Dairy. It showed a vintage photo of a dapper man with black hair, parted on the side, and a thin mustache. The man I remembered had wild white hair and a beard to match.
As I pulled away from the curb, and its view of Garrison’s, its innards stuffed with a grand array of curious merchandise, I felt pretty low. The news about Garrison’s was only the final straw. I’d been in a funk after my earlier stop at the old Nut Tree site.
Now it’s called the Nut Tree Village, where the only remotely familiar thing was the Nut Tree font.
Village, smillage. It was a sea of every imaginable retail chain. I drove through the parking lots, studded with speed bumps, and never parked or got out of my car.
Anyway, Nut Tree Village just depressed the hell out of me. I kept thinking of the Nut Tree of my youth. I thought of its restaurant, which, in my younger years, I held as the benchmark of fine dining. I loved its store, with the posters, dishes, bakery, books and housewares. I loved the little train outside, which my kids rode when they were small.
Then, the Nut Tree was just great place to stop. Now, it’s just a hyped-up place to shop. No personality. No charm. No history.
That’s why the note on Garrison’s window got to me. First the Nut Tree. Then Granzella’s. Then Garrison’s.
Everything changes, I know. But all at once?
My mood lifted in Red Bluff, where the wind blew like crazy.
I made a point of looking for something in particular, out of the same kind of habit that caused my car to take the Williams exit.
I kept my eye out for the Freeway Tree, which I’ve written about just about every year during the holidays. From Thanksgiving to January that lovable little tree is decked out in the most gaudy Christmas decorations.
This yule tide gift is brought to us by a Tehama County couple (the McClures, I believe). They decorate the tree in the memory of their friend, a woman who tried in vain to spare the tree when I-5 was being built in the ’60s. The tree died, but years later, after the woman died, the tree came back to life. Ever since, the tree’s adorned in her memory.
Tuesday, after my depressing 1-5 trip down Memory Lane, I was almost afraid to look toward the tree, lest I see people with chain saws hacking it up for fire wood or bulldozers burying the tree to make room for a new strip mall.
I looked anyway. And I laughed. And then I honked out “Shave and a haircut; two bits.”
A couple dressed in flannel shirts and jeans moved around the tree. I don’t think they heard me. They were too busy holding onto long streamers of red garland. The garland whipped and danced and waved and landed onto the little Freeway Tree where it joined other decorations.
It never looked more beautiful.
And I was never so glad to see it.
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Greetings from Senor GREENBERG´s in Cabo San Lucas!
Glad to hear the freeway Christmas tree will greet us upon return. Too many other changes.
Wishing everyone inRedding a Happy Thanksgiving!
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Doni,
I loved waking up this morning to your blog. It’s great to have you back in town. When Don and I drove up from San Diego last month, our car also acted like a homing pidgeon when it reached Granzellas. The building hadn’t yet been torn down, and the charred remains of our once beloved pit stop brought tears my eyes. Over the years, it was so fun to stop for a great meal, and pick up a yummy soup mix or pie. I always loved seeing friends who were also on the same route. We’ll look forward to spring of ‘08 when we can once again be welcomed by Granzellas unique charm. Happy Thanksgiving, one and all!
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Granzella’s and the Nut Tree were always our stops when going to SF to see the family. Remember the beautifully decorated cookies at the Nut Tree? The watermelon sherbet in summer? The unusual toys? We would stop there for a clean restroom and always end up with cookies and nut breads and other goodies. When I worked for a doctor in SF, Helen Power who was the original owner, used to fly from the Nut Tree to see our specialist. We liked to book her appointments around holidays because she brought us the BEST gifts! I had a gorgeous Christmas tree that was made of cookies and candy for years until it had to be thrown away.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Bruce, and the rest of your family. We are thankful that we can count you as our friends.
Our best…Jack and Lyn
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Not all is lost at the Nut Tree….Maybe you should have stopped, parked your car, and walked to the back of the nut tree font….You would have found the train and the Engineer that ran the train back in the old days, still standing by his train talking…..and giving rides on the tracks, thou all 1800 ft. of tracks is not all their…. thou the airport stills is, and many aircraft also still their landing and taking off…..He will also show you the old spots where everything used to be even thou it’s not the same old nut tree, he still likes to talk to his old customers, and sometimes you will find maybe even a little bead running down his cheek as he talks to you…..
you can’t miss him, he’s the old man standing in his stripped pants, with the red scarf, and the engineer’s hat….
I to miss Granzella’s , but before Granzella’s was built, all most everyone stopped at Louie Cario’s, as a stopping off point from Redding to S. F…. so until Granzella’s is re-built’ i guess i will have to visit Louie Cario’s…
Glad you both had a good time and you are home safe and sound………
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doni ~ did we pass each other on the road? I just returned from a visit to Cayucas, a little beach town near SLO. I,too, had to see Granzella’s and was sad to see an empty lot. Wondering where I could get a quick, non-fast-food lunch, I turned around and noticed the “new” Granzella’s. They have opened up across the street in much smaller temporary digs. I got the usual deli sandwich plus a few “gourmet” souvenirs. Whew ~ didn’t really want to do Subway!
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doni, ah I truly have missed your thoughts/columns/blogs. You so often seem to grab on to the mist of vague thoughts so many of us share and put them in order, writing a wonderful and right on description of just what we would say (if we had your talent).
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We stopped at Granzella’s on our way to drop off our daughter for her first year of college and then we stopped on our way home. The first stop was happy and talkative and the second was quiet.
She has a college degree and a great career now and we have gotten a little more used to her living away…….
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I stopped at the new Nut Tree the other day after someone recommended the Capay Valley Farm Store. Real farm produce, cheese, etc. from the group of farms in the Capay Valley. It was almost as good as our Farmer’s Market plus it has a deli! We bought some Arkansas Black and Rome Beauty apples that were sooo much better than the grocery store. And my daughter just had to try some sheep’s milk yogurt - yummy!
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It just warms my heart to read your blog about Granzellas and all the comments left. I live in Williams & grew up working at Granzellas from the age 13 until 20. Not only was it a wonderful place for travelers to stop in but a great hang out place for the locals. Most importantly for me, it was the employees that made it so great.
It’s been difficult to see; I tell ya, I haven’t stopped and got outta my car to view the construction since that dreadful night of the fire. Just too heartbreaking. But it’s sure nice to read about how people loved stopping in at our little town and not just dimissing us as some exit off of I5.
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