Who remembers Straw Hat Pizza?
Straw Hat Pizza is making a return to the Valley with an express version of the restaurant at a Shell station in northwest Fresno. See this week's Word on the Street here (it's the second item).
Straw Hat restaurants flourished in the central San Joaquin Valley in the early 1970s and early '80s. Pizza Hut then bought most of the locations, including the Fresno sites.
Do you remember Straw Hat Pizza?
It was quite challenging to figure out where they were located while reporting this item. The company said there were five in the Fresno area, in addition to restaurants in Visalia, Exeter, Lindsay and Huron.
I know the current Pizza Hut near Blackstone and Cambridge avenues near Fresno City College was one of them.
Where were the rest of them?
A 1971 story in our archives references a Straw Hat at West and Ashlan avenues in Fresno, but I don't think there's a Pizza Hut on that corner, is there? Another 1978 story references 536 Shaw Avenue in Clovis. Other stories reference Straw Hats in Hanford, Tulare, Porterville, Merced and Madera.
Anyone remember a Straw Hat near those locations? Where were the other ones in Fresno?
Comments:
I just Tweeted about this yesterday! There used to be one at Ashlan and West in the Longs shopping center--it was turned into a Pizza Hut for years, too. Then they ripped that portion of the center up and put in the Save Mart.
Posted by: Christine at September 1, 2009 10:32 AM
Shaw and 6th in Fresno on 6th street was a Straw Hat. I'm not sure what it is now. It has changed many times.
Posted by: Derek at September 1, 2009 10:37 AM
I'm pretty darn sure there was a Pizza Hut on the northwest corner at Blackstone and Sierra. Not sure if it was ever a Straw Hat. I do remember Straw Hat though! There's one in Capitola that I still eat at occassionally.
Posted by: Bryan Harley at September 1, 2009 1:06 PM
I seem to remember one at Cedar and Dakota, in the strip mall there where Vons used to be. Also think there was one at First & McKinley (SE corner)
Posted by: John English at September 1, 2009 2:31 PM
I do. I do. My family and I would eat at the one on Blackstone, near Ratcliff Stadium. I have fond memories of pepperoni pizza, and the penny pony. That was the best -- you ride that mechanical pony for like a minute -- 1 penny. So worth it.
Posted by: Jason Millar at September 1, 2009 2:45 PM
Yep, there was one at West and Ashlan. Went there often.
Posted by: Judi at September 1, 2009 3:44 PM
There was a Straw Hat Pizza that quickly turned into Pizza Hut on Blackstone and Sierra. NW corner, adjacent to Sierra. The first space in that strip mall. Behind the Kragen Auto Parts, but before it was built. It's now a mini-mart and something else. It was among the first tenants at that corner with Millers Outpost, Pollo Loco, etc...It was 1985-1986 when that corner was built. Valley Sports was also a tenant when Millers Outpost moved out. I lived behind it and ate there all the time....
Posted by: Gordon Wakins at September 1, 2009 3:54 PM
There was a Straw Hat Pizza here in Madera located on Howard, best pizza in town at the time.
Posted by: Jan Harrold at September 2, 2009 9:26 AM
Thanks for confirming the Blackstone/Sierra, Gordon! I went there often as well.
Posted by: Bryan Harley at September 4, 2009 6:49 PM
My parents would take us to the Straw Hat at West and Ashlan when we would come into Fresno from Kerman. The one at Shaw and 6th is right behind Red Lobster. I think that location now serves oriental food.
Posted by: Mike at September 4, 2009 9:37 PM
I remember the West and Ashlan location as well. Next to Me'n'Ed's and Dicicco's, Straw Hat had some of the best pizza and games to play. I remember a skeet shooting game I was great at. It was in the Long's Drugs shopping center. Wasn't Mayfair market there for a time as well, before Save Mart. I live in AZ now, but would love to eat a Straw Hat again.
Posted by: Julie Mills at September 4, 2009 9:41 PM
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