Eater SF Features 7 Mile House as One of the Iconic Restaurants Keeping SF Tradition Alive

By Vanessa Garcia, Owner, 7 Mile House

Eddie Strickland and I during 7 Mile’s Anniversary and Costume Party in 2012. Photo Credit: Mallory McGowan

On July 31st, one of our servers, came into my office and said, "Van, there's a man outside and says he wants to see you. He's holding a hat and it looks like he wants to give it to you."

I rushed to the front of the restaurant and found Eddie Strickland waiting for me holding his hat with both hands as if he was presenting it to me.

"Hi, Eddie, how's it going?" I said with a hug.

I first met Eddie in 2012 when we celebrated our 154th anniversary at 7 Mile. He joined our costume contest wearing his Beafeater outfit --- his doorman uniform at the Sir Francis Drake.

"Did you know that the Sir Francis Drake closed during the pandemic and has now reopened as the Beacon Grand?" Eddie, said. He continued to tell me that everyone got laid off, including the iconic Beafeaters.

His news saddened me as I remember often seeing him outside the Sir Francis Drake happily opening doors and hailing cabs for guests. Eddie and the Beafeaters were part of a San Francisco tradition.

Then Eddie asked, "May I give you my hat to display behind the bar?"

My eyes lit up. "I would love to!" I said.

As owner of 7 Mile House, I've been in a unique and very fortunate position to be the guardian of its history. Being asked by Eddie to keep his hat was both an honor and a rare opportunity to preserve a piece of Bay Area history close to my heart.

I thanked Eddie for choosing 7 Mile House and promised to do more than just hang his hat. I expressed that people needed to remember this SF tradition and that placing the hat on display was not enough to preserve his story. I could have written about the SF Beafeaters myself but figured I should turn to someone who would tell the story way better than I could. I contacted Dianne De Guzman of Eater SF and told her about Eddie. She loved his story and the rest is, well, history!

"How These Iconic Restaurants Are Keeping a Lost San Francisco Tradition Alive" 8/15/22 BY Dianne De Guzman
https://sf.eater.com/2022/8/15/23306914/san-francisco-beefeater-hats-restaurants

Thank you, Dianne, for helping keep this memory alive with a beautiful piece. I love that SF's Beafeater legacy has found its home at our 7 Mile House where history is always preserved, cherished and celebrated. Today, Eddie's hat is hanging behind our antique bar but expect a much nicer display soon accompanied by a copy of Dianne’s article and photos on our wall.

Here's to unforgettable friendships and keeping history alive at 7 Mile House!