Today we’d like to introduce you to Terryl Gavre.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Terryl. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was always, always in love the restaurant business – the smell of the kitchen, the clanking of the pots and pans, the sound of the silverware gently hitting the plate and the hushed voices in the dining rooms. I always wanted a restaurant.
After many years of waitressing and other restaurant-related jobs, I opened my first restaurant, Cafe 222 in San Diego in 1992. I worked as both the manager and the chef, and did not take a day off for nearly seven years. In 2010, I partnered with Carl Schroeder to open BANKERS HILL BAR + Restaurant in the Bankers Hill area of downtown San Diego.
Has it been a smooth road?
Cafe 222 was located in a new “up and coming” area of San Diego, and although I was told that things like the convention center and baseball stadium were just a few years away… it wound up being nearly 10 years until both were complete and the wait was long. I actually lived in the back prep room of the cafe for the first seven years. It was a little apartment that was converted into a kitchen, so it still had a shower and bathroom so I thought, “why not?” I cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner at Cafe 222 back then so I didn’t really need an apartment. Besides, I was young and didn’t have a husband or kids.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Today, I am a part of four restaurants and I am proud to say that 25 years after opening my first location, I am still here!
I have had to adapt to the changing times and keep at it, and I am proud to still be considered a voice in the restaurant community.
Each location is unique in concept and we are proud to offer the highest quality and locally-sourced products available. I am proud to have employed so many people and that I have been able to mentor young women.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like how San Diego is growing. I like all the new construction, as is an indicator of strong economics.
I like our beautiful landscape and beaches, and of course, the weather.
I think we need to get better at tackling our homeless problem. It is becoming a deterrent to our tourism as well as we need to find a reasonable and empathetic solution to this issue.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2202 4th Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103 - Website: bankershillsd.com
- Phone: 619-231-0222
- Email: info@bankershillsd.com
- Instagram: @bankershillsd
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BankersHillBarandRestaurant
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bankershillsd
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bankers-hill-bar-and-restaurant-san-diego
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/bankershillsd
Image Credit:
Photo of Terryl – Martin Mann Photography
All food photos – Courtesy of BANKERS HILL BAR + Restaurant
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
