History of Clayton's
The building at 979 Orange Avenue, today known as Clayton's has a long history here in Coronado. The building at the corner of Tenth and Orange was originally the home of Gerry's Coffee Shop. The coffee shop moved to the building in 1942 after three years at another location. The grand opening announcement boasted that the party would include "flowers for the ladies and cigars for the men".
In 1947, Gerry's offered a 24-hour a day schedule to serve customers at all hours of the day and night. The change was a big shift but the announcement about the new hours reassured customers that they would continue to "serve steaks, chops, chicken, lobster, fried shrimp and oysters, and waffles, as in the past, and will continue its wellknown policies on the 24-hour schedule." The resturaunt's slogan was “A Good Place To Meet Your Friends.”
The new hours were such a hit that the Coffee Shop underwent a name change to "24 Hour Coffee Shop" in 1950. The shop changed owners in 1952 and underwent another name change in 1978, when owner Clayton Rice changed it simply to "Clayton's". Rice owned and operated the business before selling it to Bill Maddox in 1983. Twenty-five years later, Maddox sold it upon his retirement to local businesswoman, Mary Frese. The menu and decor have stayed true to it's orgins as Gerry's Coffee Shop. This long standing business has established itself as a neighborhood favorite.
