San Pablo Avenue looking north at the county line about 1971. El Cerrito Plaza is on the right and MacFarlane s Candies and Ice Cream, with the distinctive candy cane poles holding up its sign, is on the left. This is what you would have seen as you entered the city in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Our thanks to the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce for making these photos available from their archives.
Detail of MacFarlane s, the longtime Oakland-based candy retailer. Pity the parents whose kids got a look at the sign as they entered town. Behind the sign at the right just past Grand Auto is the back of the Doggie Diner head sign for the Doggie Diner location in El Cerrito. The location of MacFarlane s was originally the Kona Club and is now a Chipotle. The Shell station at the left is now a Peet s Coffee and Tea. And the Plaza, while still there, is not the same as it was then.
Above and below, Easter time ads for MacFarlane s from the late 1950s.
