What’s in a name?

So I’ve been reading my recently purchased copy of Sacramento’s Midtown - another tome from Arcadia Publishing, which specializes in micro-local history books, interesting stuff, highly recommend it, got mine from Ace Hardware on I Street, and they have ‘em for like EVERYWHERE around here too, just search “Sacramento” - and I sort of chuckled in 21st Century, I-can’t-believe-that-even-existed, wonder at a photo of a restaurant at the corner of F and 5th Streets in the 60s called “Sambo’s.” It used to be a national, popular chain. It’s name came from combining parts of the two owner’s names - but the decor played on the obvious reference to a racially-charged book character.

The kind of connection eventually caught up with the chain and led to its demise - though one location remains in Santa Barbara, where it started originally.

I suppose the photo, the restaurant, and the issue were on my mind this week with all the Imus news in the air.

Which must also be why I found myself thrust into deep thought while driving to friends house over at Natomas Crossing. So if Sambo’s is unacceptable, why are we building and patronizing new Hooters?

Related posts:

  1. An Open Letter To Location Scouts
  2. Seasonal Folly
  3. Andy Barker, P.I.: A Local Mystery?
  4. The Heart Of Where, Now?
  5. No-Tomas???!

1 Comment so far

  1. uneasy rhetoric (unregistered) April 15th, 2007 1:58 pm

    5th & F? I remember there was one around 16th & F, but 5th & F would put it somewhere behind the train station. My parents used to like to go there.


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