MY INTEREST WITH DOGGIE DINER
By Kip K. Atchley
My first exposure to Doggie Diner is a short memory. I was a child about the age of 7 or 8 years old, when my family was on the way to the San Francisco Zoo. Sitting in the back seat of our family station wagon, I was looking at all the wonderous sights of San Francisco go by. Then of a sudden, I see this big red Doggie Head sign staring down at me. I was amazed! To a child, it looked absolutely huge!!! Wow, they have giant dogs here in San Francisco! I saw the name - Doggie Diner and together these became embedded deep in my mind.
I must admit - memories of Playland-at-the-Beach (farther down the street), are more vivid and exciting. Laffing Sal's Fun House was amazing! I remember holding my mother's hand as we toured the place. She kept telling me not to touch the dirty walls. I wanted to see everything, touch everything. Never again will you see entertainment attractions with large spinning floors that have the goal of "flinging you into the air" and bouncing off the walls.
Many, many years passed until one day, I was having a conversation with my boss. He said, "my friend has a Doggie Diner Doggie Head sign in his warehouse". Immediately, I became interested! What? Doggie Diner Doggie Head? Really? How many? Where is it? How can I see it?
To make a long story short, it took me another EIGHT long years before I was able to locate and see this Doggie Head! The gentleman who owned it loved it. It was his prized possession and had no desire to sell it. It took me TEN months of begging and a cash offer to get him to "consider" parting with it. However, it took the offer addition of a restored antique pinball game to make this deal happen.
Please understand, I did not rush into this purchase blindly. I had spent years researching Doggie Diner's history and what made this restaurant "brand" so loved. I concluded that there was a lost business opportunity here. Ownership of this rare Doggie Head would be a tool to re-kindle this business.
Now I am the proud owner of an original beloved DOGGIE HEAD from the famous Doggie Diner. This treasure did not deserve to be hidden away, locked up in the back of a huge warehouse!
This Doggie Head needed to be restored, so he can once again bring happiness and joy to his adoring fans.