One of the advantages of being in an area for a long time. You get to remember buildings and businesses that are no longer in our towns. Having grown up in the East Bay I remember the area sometimes the way it was.
I for some reason I was having a moment of nostalgia. I was thinking about the chain of fast food burgers and chicken called RED BARN.
Castro Valley had one such outlet. One of the other RED BARNs I remember was near my uncle's house in Newark.
It got me onto a google and wikipedia search to find out what happened to RED BARN. I came across the following site. The site below tells the story of the rise and fall of the company. (did you know that it was once part of the Motel6 company)
Apparently there were many RED BARNs all over the United States and parts of Canada.
Their buildings were very destinctive large barn shaped buildings. The location in somecases downtown areas or in suburban strip malls added a bit of irony in architecture.
I have made a trip out to Castro Valley and photographed the RED BARN building. The Castro Valley outlet has been since turned into the Hof Brau restaurant.
<Castro Valley RED BARN>
I will add photos of the Newark RED BARN in a few days.
<photo coming soon>
