Exactly 20 years ago this month, I started work at Marie Callender’s on Winchester Blvd in San Jose. I was in high school, waiting to hear back from Wells Fargo who were dragging their feet with my job application. After a month, I decided I needed a job. My mom suggested Marie Callender’s.
Ever since I can remember, we would go that that Marie Callender’s on Winchester. We would pick my grandmother up twice a week and my mom would say “Where do you want to go to dinner, Ma?” and Nana would say “Marie Callender’s” EVERY TIME. I was sick of it as a child, but looking back it became a pleasant memory.
So, while waiting for Wells to call, I decided to take my mom’s advice and go into Marie Callender’s. I was hired right away. It wasn’t the bank I wanted, but it was a job. BTW Wells called back a week later to offer me the job, and I accepted. Two jobs through the rest of my high school days.
I made instant friends at “Marie’s” that I cherish to this very day. Great memories, laughs, tears, hangovers, even prom dates that all stemmed from working behind that podium and cashier counter.
Sadly, Marie’s is no longer the comfort food and pie mecca it was in the 80′s and 90′s. Today, there are only 89 Marie’s left in the US. 74 of them are in California. (The one pictured above is the Toluca Lake Marie’s. This was the last Marie’s I went to about two months ago.)
Marie’s was founded in Long Beach, CA in 1948 as a pie business catering to restaurants. The first restaurant opened in Orange, CA in 1964. The business was already starting to suffer in the late 90′s and in 1999 was purchased by Perkins Family Restaurants. It never really bounced back and more Marie’s started closing, including my beloved Winchester store.
It’s the end of an era. From being a 5 year old who wasn’t tall enough to watch the “SF Earthquake slideshow” that was in the lobby, to the awkward 15 year old who constantly forgot his maroon apron at home, to the 35 year old who had to travel 300 miles to enjoy his Croissant Club (pretty much the only thing I ever ordered), I have many fond memories of Marie’s. I have to say though, what really made Marie’s special was the people. I’m lucky to still count so many of them as my friends. So, goodbye Croissant Club and Chocolate Satin Pie. You were no friend to my diet anyhow. 
Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.
So, I have discovered what will for sure be a must-do on my trips to NY. I had never heard of Le Poisson Rouge (on Bleeker Street) until yesterday. In my roaming around YouTube, I found “Don’t Quit Your Night Job”, which is a show they do monthly at Le Poisson. It features something called “Musical Madlibs”.
