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Zach Colick
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Posted: Tue Jun 2nd, 2009 06:18 pm |
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Editor's note: The following story appears in the June 4 Scottsdale Independent. Post comments by hitting reply in the upper right-hand corner. Comments will be posted in an upcoming issue of the Scottsdale Independent.
Sayonara Sticky Buns?:
El Chorro Lodge gets new owners
By Stacey Lane
Independent Newspapers
A marriage 72 years in the making is no longer.
El Chorro Lodge, the landmark Paradise Valley inn and restaurant, is under contract for sale and is closing its doors for at least five months as a new ownership team looks to formulate plans on the restuarant’s future.
Customers continued to frolic to the famous Valley inn before its May 28 closure.
The new owners are Kristy Riding Moore and Tim Moore, formerly of Phoenix Continental Catering, and Jacquie and Bennett Dorrance of DMB Associates, a Scottsdale-based real estate development company.
The sale is expected to be finalized by June 15.
Plans are not fully developed at this stage as to the future of El Chorro Lodge, although the new ownership team plans to reopen the venerable property sometime this fall.
“We plan to honor the legacy created by Joe and Evie Miller when the restaurant reopens late this year, and maintain the charm, historic feel and tradition of El Chorro as a local gathering spot,” Ms. Dorrance said in an e-mailed statement to the Independent. “We also plan to retain some of the traditional favorites, including the famous sticky buns.”
While the Millers, who are also longtime Paradise Valley residents, are not sure what the new owners plan for the 22-acre parcel on 56th Street and Lincoln Drive, they, staff and guests hope to see the integrity of the landmark preserved.
“You’re darn right. I wish the best for the community,” Mr. Miller said.
The Millers said it will be tough walking away from El Chorro Lodge as they have had many lasting memories at their famous Valley restaurant during the past 57 years.
“We have had a lot of friends and personal relationships that will be endeared in our hearts forever,” Ms. Miller said. “We also have employees that are now all over the country.”
The Millers are not the only ones saying goodbye.
The El Chorro Lodge team consisted of a loyal staff who worked at the lodge for many years.
Laurie Moore, a 21-year employee, and Cathy Maul, an employee of 17 years, were amongst the dedicated team who served families throughout the decades. Both said El Chorro Lodge was a tradition for many generations.
“Grandparents and parents would come in all the time,” Ms. Maul said.
Besides the venerable property’s famous sticky buns, first-timers and regulars will tell you the Miller’s commitment to El Chorro Lodge, 5550 E. Lincoln Drive, were amongst the many ingredients that made it a time-honored tradition year after year.
Valley residents Geri and Jim Uhl are among the many dedicated patrons who enjoyed the food and service at El Chorro for many years. Mr. Uhl remembers visiting when he was a little boy.
“It was New Year’s Eve, 1955, and I came with my mother, father and aunt, and it was my first time here,” he said. “With the many changes that have taken place in the Valley, it was somewhere people could consistently count on for a heart-warming experience. I remember everything staying the same, especially the bar.”
Dining Room Manager Barbara Hawryluk recalls seating celebrities during the past 15 years, including Vince Vaughn, Robert Mitchell, Gene Autry, Dick Van Dyke and Lady Bird Johnson.
The Millers have also been big contributors to the community: The lodge has hosted numerous events, including Thanksgiving dinners for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, and the Millers have continually donated sticky buns for the town’s annual Relay for Life celebration.
The Millers also donated a classroom to nearby Notre Dame Preparatory School.
The historic El Chorro Lodge has been the home for both staff and patrons throughout the Valley for many years. John C. Lincoln had the building built in 1934 — called the Judson School for Girls — for his daughter, Lillian, to attend.
Three years later, Jan and Mark Gruber purchased the property and turned it into a dining room and lodge.
The original school room served as the main bar for the next 70 years.
El Chorro’s reputation grew during the 1930s and 1940s, while the old Arizona ambience enticed celebrities such as Clark Gable and Milton Berle to stay and eat at the lodge.
In 1952, Joe Miller started working at El Chorro Lodge as a bartender and met his wife, Evelyn, on the job.
The Millers purchased El Chorro Lodge from the Grubers in 1973 and expanded the restaurant without compromising the original charm. Every meal included the famous sticky buns baked with the 1937 original recipe.
Editor’s note: Stacey Lane is a former El Chorro Lodge employee and a volunteer contributor with Independent Newspapers, Inc.
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