1970s: Full Moon Over The Moss Beach Distillery
As told to me by Bruce Pine.
In an earlier incarnation, the Moss Beach Distillery was known as the Galway Bay Inn. Very Irish. Napkins with four leaf clovers. Pleasant Sunday brunches.
And the link to Ireland via the Galway Bay Inn was kind of a throwback for Moss Beach–in the 1890s the Coastside resort, popular for its marine curiosities, became home to the John Kyne family, who were Irish to their core.
But when the Moss Beach Distillery was originally built in the late 1920s, it was named after Frank, the Peruvian owner– and the comings and goings at the roadhouse during Prohibition earned the place fame and notoriety. There were sightings of silent film stars, of San Francisco politicians, too.
In the 1970s three businessmen, Paul, Sam and Dave purchased the Galway Bay Inn, with its Irish theme, with plans of returning the restaurant to its Prohibition theme. Dave even tracked down the stained glass windows that had never been picked up from the artist who custom- made them for Frank’s classic bar.
As a final touch, the trio placed a vintage “still” outside the restaurant but according to my sources, the authorities called it illegal and made them move it elsewhere.
In the 1970s–when there wasn’t much construction on the isolated Coastside– the Distillery was a comfortable place to dine and enjoy drinks at the bar. The owners recognized the importance of being on the premises–especially Dave, who often bartended, and knew the names of all the locals.
I think it was Sam who had family in Marin County and inherited a 1936 Pierce Arrow, the very epitome of the “gangster car.” The Pierce Arrow was very cool but it didn’t run ; it needed work and had to be towed down to Half Moon Bay– and eventually to Bruce Pine’s place known as the “Windmill House” on Potter Street. Bruce possessed the skills and talent to get the vintage automobile running.
Sam had a plan for the Pierce Arrow’s future home–when it was all fixed up, he wanted to park the antique in front of the restaurant.
It was going to take a while to get the car in good shape. Meanwhile Sam told Bruce that whenever he was taking the Pierce Arrow out for a “test drive, ” he should tool on up to the Distillery. That happened a few times. Bruce would call Sam at the Distillery and tell him he was taking the 1936 Pierce Arrow out for a test drive to Moss Beach.
As soon as Sam knew the car was coming, he had to make sure that the space was clear in front of the Distillery, that no one else had parked their car there–the spot in front of the Distillery was considered a prestige parking space, announcing to all of Moss Beach who was inside.
Meanwhile the photographer Jerry Koontz had been renting a room at Bruce Pine’s “Windmill House” in Half Moon Bay. It was the 1970s; the old order was breaking down. Playgirl Magazine had been founded in 1973 and a local publishing company (consisting of several women, more on that later) decided to shoot male nudes for a calendar and a deck of playing cards. At the time shooting male nudes for a calendar was a big shock and the company had a hit on their hands. Jerry Koontz, sans clothing, appeared on one of the playing cards.
Jerry’s experience had been heady, the brush with fame; he was feeling bold and ready for an adventure when he and his girlfriend jumped into the back seat of the 1936 Pierce Arrow that Bruce was driving to the Distillery.
Truth be told, there was mischief in Jerry’s eyes.
As usual Sam cleared the space in front of the Distillery and Bruce parked the gangster car there.
Suddenly, without warning, Jerry and his girlfriend shed their clothes, jumped out of the car and, stark naked, the two of them streaked through the dining room, startling everyone; they made a quick dash through the crowded bar as heads turned to watch them run out the front door, and into the 1936 Pierce Arrow for a quick getaway with Bruce Pine at the wheel.
“Those were fun times,” Jerry Koontz told me the other day. Indeed.
(Image: Jerry Koontz)
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