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LOOK BACK: Good Eats Café in Port Alberni

Take a peek at Port Alberni’s history with photos from the Alberni Valley Museum
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A group of four women and one man standing on the sidewalk in front of the Good Eats Cafe on First Ave, circa 1941. People are identified left to right: Milly Hanson, Dorothy Ristow, George Martin (owner), Jessie Federation (who later married George Martin) and Marion Federation (Jessie’s sister - later Marion Bebluk). The Good Eats Cafe was originally on First Avenue. It changed hands, first in 1935 when it was bought by Andy Ercolini and again by George Martin, who moved it to Argyle Street where he continued to operate through the 1940s. George Marin later opened Martins Cafe which was on Argyle Street, just down from the current location of the Bank of Montreal on Third Ave. This photo is one of 24,000 in the Alberni Valley Museum’s online archives. See more at https://portalberni.pastperfectonline.com. (PHOTO PN06769 COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY MUSEUM)

Ask people about some of their favourite places to eat in the Alberni Valley over the years and you’ll likely hear about the Good Eats Café.

The Good Eats Cafe was originally on First Avenue near Argyle Street, close to the old Alberni Hardware store.

Good Eats changed hands, first in 1935 when it was bought by Andy Ercolini and again by George Martin, who moved it to Argyle Street where he continued to operate through the 1940s. George Martin later opened Martin’s Cafe, which was on Argyle Street—just down from the current location of the Bank of Montreal on Third Avenue.

Good Eats Café opened early and at one time, according to a former employee, provided sandwich lunches for loggers in the city. Others recall going there as children with their grandparents, or as adults.