Text taken from Mearle's menu:
"A legend upon the Visalia scene is making a comeback.
Mearle's Drive-In, closed since September 1, 2003, due to a
near-disastrous fire, has reopened its' doors to anxious
customers. Mearle's has been a stalwart to generations
of Visalians and is one of the best know eateries in the
central valley . It has existed with and outlived
structures such as the Hotel Johnson, the old county
courthouse, and the C.V.C. grain elevators, all of which
seemed indestructible. The reason for the longevity of
Mearle's can only be attributed to the efforts of good
management, caring employees, and an admiring public,
thirsty for a continuous serving of American nostalgia.
Current owners, sisters Melissa Ward and Barbara Murch, have
elected to reopen and continue the tradition of being a
truly family oriented restaurant where people can have fun
and be themselves. This was the idea passed down from
the previous owner, Mearle Heitzman, for over thirty years.
Mr. Heitzman perfected the name associated with great milk
shakes and hamburgers by always having customers leaving
happy and wanting to return to enjoy the cozy hospitality
and good service. The restaurant has basically
remained the same since the doors first opened way back in
the early part of 1940, by the Beshwate brothers under the
name of TAD's Drive-In. After a six year beginning the
restaurant experienced a couple periods of short ownerships
and a brief closure. When the Nielson chain acquired
the business and changed the name to reflect the same, the
trend of longer ownerships with the community in-mind, was
started. In 1961 the name synonymous with the Visalia
landscape rose to the top of the building and will likely
stay there for a long time to come. Sine 1951, there
has only been three ownerships and in any town or city it is
indicative of steady local support and person-to-person
advertising. When the food is good, the word does get
around. Mearle's will survive with continued support
as it has survived fires, floods and lean times. It
may not have the glitz and glamour of newer restaurants
constantly springing up, but it does have clientele which
returns again and again, mainly because no one ever leaves,
hungry. The name is know far and wide and is a Mecca
for all kinds of out-of-town customers. The future
prospect is to keep serving the best food possible and keep
'em coming back." Mearle's Drive-In, 604 S. Mooney
Blvd., Visalia, CA 93277 (559) 734-4447 |
