After over 80 years and a handful of name changes, Hob Nob Hill, located at 2271 First Avenue in San Diego’s Bankers Hill, is getting ready to take on a new owner.
The restaurant started in 1944 when Harold and Dorothy Hoersch opened the Juniper Café, which eventually relocated and renamed to Melody Grill, then Dorothy’s Oven, before finally settling on Hob Nob Hill around 1970. Tania Warchol took over the business in 1993, introduced modern touches, and eventually helped the restaurant land on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Now, according to SanDiegoVille, Warchol has decided to retire due to the rising cost of everything. Last week, the longtime owner finalized the sale of the restaurant and the building to Douglas Hamm of Creative House, a real estate development and investment company.
Hamm is a well-known business owner in San Diego, recognized for developing and operating several concepts throughout the city, including Lofty Coffee and Half Door Brewing. Recently, it was announced that Half Door Brewing space will be closing in San Diego’s East Village, and Villains Brewing will open a second location. In 2018, Hamm and his Creative House launched with Nolita Hall in Little Italy and are currently working on several other projects, including Cedar Park Bar and Restaurant and a new concept located in Coronado Plaza. Another project is being developed for the former site of Il Dandy/Civico By The Park in Bankers Hill.
Hamm and his team plan to take over at the beginning of next month, allowing Warchol to retire at the end of the month. Hamm will assist in guiding the new ownership through operational transitions. Once the ownership transition is completed on March 2, the restaurant will temporarily close for an unspecified period to undergo undisclosed changes. While the specific renovations planned for the site are still unclear, Hamm aims to maintain the restaurant’s aesthetic and will continue to operate it as-is during the transition. Hob Nob Hill celebrated its 80th anniversary last October.
