Although Bruno Cappa’s soda fountain restaurant was a top neighborhood spot for curly fries or an ice cream float for nearly four decades, the proprietor was far from self-promoting. But if he had engaged a graphic artist for a logo or some merch, he could not do better than what designer Doug da Silva has recently created to celebrate this slice of local history.
Doug grew up in Sunnyside, and although he no longer lives in the city, he has created a line of t-shirts celebrating many iconic aspects of San Francisco past, including Bruno’s Creamery.
View all Doug da Silva’s designs on his website, including the Bruno’s Creamery t-shirt.
I also admire his atmospheric photographs of old cars in all their decaying glory. Read the full story about the restaurant here.
Doug’s family lived on the 600 block of Joost Avenue, and he was a loyal customer at the soda fountain from early on. “It was a place we grew up with. I remember the comic books when I was a young boy. Bruno also had girly magazines. When we were in high school we’d casually order a milkshake and a Playboy, and he’d sell it to us.”
Doug worked at Safeway for many years, including the one on Monterey. He sent this photo, taken by his brother (who had his eye on the Jag), which captured a bit of the old Safeway, then located on the site of the parking lot for the present store (built in 1972).
Doug also frequented Sam’s Delicatessen down the hill at Edna Street, and he recalls many of the shops along Monterey Boulevard.
“I have a lot of good memories of growing up in Sunnyside. It was, and still is, an amazing neighborhood.”
I loved Bruno’s. Especially the curly fries. What a treat. He also had a good assortment of candy. No one makes those fries like he did.