Marie Callenders

Debbie Bauer

Submitted on 12/1/2008

The summer that I turned 18 (1982), I became employed as a hostess at Marie Callendars. The store in which I worked, sadly is no longer there. However, it was on El Toro Road in El Toro CA. The store was located directly down the street from a retirement community named 'Leasure World'. One day, the wait to be seated was about 20 minutes. I looked up from the hostess podium. There stood a petite elderly lady. The lady said "Callendar for 2 please". It was Marie and her son, Don. I could not believe my eyes. My boss, Jim Weatherwax, confirmed their identities and mentioned that Marie lived in Leasure World. That evening, I told the story to my father. He replied "That's not possible, she must already be dead, if she ever existed at all." Well, the very next time I saw Marie, I asked her to autograph a placemat. Finally, I had proof that I knew the famous Marie Callendar. I saw her many times over the next few years. In addition to many fond memories, I still have that placemat, along with my name tag and the menus from the 5 years that I worked there. Warmest Regards to all, Debbie Bauer

Matt Flores

Submitted on 6/6/2008

I was raised into the Marie Callender's family from birth. My mom started working at the Lakewood Marie Callender's (Shop #1 the big one) from hostess to server to bartender to assistant manager to general manager to area supervisor to almost getting a VP spot. Anyways I started working at the same one when I was 15 1/2 and I will never forget the experiences I had. I have so many fond memories of working there and the people I met and the customers I met that in a way I was sad to see it turn into East Side Marios (which is an awesome place still). I loved working there and everyone I remember from there when I come back to California to visit, we always talk about the amazing times we had there. I went from Host to server to bartender (best job in the restaurant business) to corporate trainer to assistant manager to working in the corporate office in the POS department. So Marie Callender's has been involved in my life from birth till I was 29 when we all moved from California. Thank you Marie Callender's for everything you gave me and all the fun times and memories made working there. I will never forget them as long as I live. -Matt Flores