Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1047605
Sixty Years of Cannery Row's Developing Renaissance Monterey Tr ansfor med from Sardines to Civility B Y B R E T T W I L B U R S itting at a pol- ished boardroom ished boardroom table next to Ted table next to Ted table next to Ted Balestreri, chairman and Balestreri, chairman and CEO of Monterey's Can- CEO of Monterey's Can- nery Row Company, it's easy nery Row Company, it's easy to picture the popular to picture the popular waterfront area that he was waterfront area that he was waterfront area that he was instrumental in developing instrumental in developing which is now bustling with which is now bustling with shops, restaurants, hotels shops, restaurants, hotels and the famous Monterey and the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. Bay Aquarium. What is harder to imagine What is harder to imagine is the rundown state of is the rundown state of Cannery Row 60 years ago, Cannery Row 60 years ago, with cr umbling for mer with cr umbling for mer brothels, fishermen's shanties brothels, fishermen's shanties brothels, fishermen's shanties and abandoned canneries and abandoned canneries sliding into the Monterey Bay. sliding into the Monterey Bay. Immor talized by John Immor talized by John Steinbeck's novel "Cannery Steinbeck's novel "Cannery Row," there was once a Row," there was once a stinky, gritty but thriving sar- stinky, gritty but thriving sar- dine operation, canning the "silver harvest" dine operation, canning the "silver harvest" pulled out of the Bay by Chinese, Por tuguese, pulled out of the Bay by Chinese, Por tuguese, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Filipino fishermen, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Filipino fishermen, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Filipino fishermen, among others. After the decline of the sardine among others. After the decline of the sardine among others. After the decline of the sardine industry and the unexplained temporary disap- industry and the unexplained temporary disap- pearance of the sardines in the late 1940s—at pearance of the sardines in the late 1940s—at its peak, the region was producing 1.4 million its peak, the region was producing 1.4 million cases of the fish per year—the area was cases of the fish per year—the area was cases of the fish per year—the area was derelict and falling apar t. Which made it the derelict and falling apar t. Which made it the perfect location to anchor down a new restau- perfect location to anchor down a new restau- perfect location to anchor down a new restau- rant led by two young men rant led by two young men with big dreams. with big dreams. Balestreri and Ber t Cu- Balestreri and Ber t Cu- tino were in their late 20s tino were in their late 20s when 50 years ago, they when 50 years ago, they decided to open the Sardine decided to open the Sardine Factory restaurant at 701 Factory restaurant at 701 Wave Street in Monterey, in Wave Street in Monterey, in what was considered "the what was considered "the wrong side of the tracks," wrong side of the tracks," according to Balestreri. according to Balestreri. "We went to everybody "We went to everybody to ask to help us out," to ask to help us out," Balestreri recalls. "But the Balestreri recalls. "But the banks looked at these two banks looked at these two young kids and looked at young kids and looked at Canner y Row and said, Canner y Row and said, 'They must be nuts.'" 'They must be nuts.'" Balestreri's dentist had Balestreri's dentist had faith in the young dreamers faith in the young dreamers and loaned the two and loaned the two enough to open the restau- enough to open the restau- rant, and "Boom! It hit," rant, and "Boom! It hit," Balestreri says. "It was the Balestreri says. "It was the place to discover. We broke every rule at that place to discover. We broke every rule at that time…Cannery Row was star ting to jump. It time…Cannery Row was star ting to jump. It wasn't homogenized like the rest of the towns, wasn't homogenized like the rest of the towns, which kind of had a Hansel and Gretel look. which kind of had a Hansel and Gretel look. This was kind of an evolution of history This was kind of an evolution of history President and CEO of Cannery Row Company Ted Balestreri transformed President and CEO of Cannery Row Company Ted Balestreri transformed derelict sardine cannery operations into hotels, shops and restaurants. derelict sardine cannery operations into hotels, shops and restaurants. 106 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 8 106 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 8 Photo: Kelli Uldall Photo: Kelli Uldall