Shane Stewart’s crew begins the work of razing Jo’An’s Restaurant Friday. Photo by Jack Clark

 

A concrete floor, formerly Jo’An’s Restaurant, remains after the building was razed over the weekend. The site will become a park, similar to Eleanor Park, which was on the site in the 1950s through the 1960s. The razed restaurant was a controversial site over the years because of outside bands disturbing business people around the area on weekends. Loie and Dave Butterfield bought the property to put an end to the controversy. Photo by JP Crumrine

5 COMMENTS

  1. Mr. Stewart, Thank you for all the many improvements you have made to our mountain. This one will be noticed more than the rest, and it will be a good one, but many of the others are making our lives better and more convenient. Thank you again. Sincerely, Glen Bloom, 37 year resident.

  3. I was planning today for our family vacation this summer. Wilderness Pines and eating at Jo’an’s in the town. I am very bummed and also upset that all it took was one person to end a 50 year vacation eatery spot for many people and their families. I started going there as a very young kid in 1968 and have handed the tradition down to my kids and grandkids. The outdoor entertainment was always my favorite part of Jo’an’s; along with the hamburgers and fries. That place was a staple in this little town. As a kid and adult, I always liked the big tree in the middle of all the tables, that small stage, the white picket fence surrounding it and parking up against it next to all those motorcycles ! Every year growing up, I remember my Dad driving around the circle where the restaurant was as we were on our way to Wilderness Pines; which is now the Thousand Trails camping grounds. I continued what my Dad did up to last summer. It has been our home away from home. Our favorite entertainer at Jo’an’s was always Jerome Robinson singing his oldies and having the audience stand and salute the flag during the last song. He always mentioned his military son before the song. Let’s try to keep Jerome performing somewhere in Idyllwild…and as for the guy who had the town history demolished and especially Glen Bloom, who commented on this page; they are the town criers, or shall I say, the real town cryers…Long live the legend of Jo’an’s Restaurant.

  5. Sandy, you may be thinking of another restaurant because Jo’An’s was no where close to 50 years old. That property was a park until the early/mid 80’s and then there was a little restaurant on the site called The Tax Shelter. Jo’an’s didn’t appear until after that. Some where in the mid/late 80’s.