The Keep on ROCKin’! by Greg Kristapovich
Jim and Diane Dunigan in front of their temporary location. A sign in the window says “Welcome to The Rock! No fire can burn through this crew!”
There’s a saying: “When one door closes, another one will open!” Indeed, that has happen for Jim and Diane Dunigan, owners of The Rock of Twain Harte. The Rock, the legendary Tuolumne County restaurant and pub was heavily damaged by a fire on November 12th. Those doors have closed while the place undergoes repairs. Then, as if by magic, the doors of the vacated Courtside Bar and Grill (in the Twain Harte Village Shopping Center) opened wide-and the Dunigans have established that place as the temporary location of The Rock! And the public response has been very positive, if not overwhelming!
The story of The Rock goes back many years. “The restaurant’s name came from Twain Harte Lake” Diane explains. “You know that rock (in the middle of the lake): I don’t know what the Mi-Wuks back then called it. It was like their encampment. It was their local ‘hang out’; and that’s why The Rock was named The Rock: because it’s the local ‘hang out’ in town!” Going back 18 years, the restaurant has had several owners. But eight years ago, The Dunigans took ownership. This was after Jim’s manufacturing job in Campbell was outsourced, and they moved to Sonora. “As soon as I went under the (Twain Harte) arch, I said, “This is it! This is where I want to live!” Diane remembers. “Two years later is when we ran across The Rock for sale, on the internet!” So they bought it! Then, Diane’s job at a call-center was also outsourced. Diane soon joined Jim in the day-to-day operations of The Rock. Over the years, The Rock has become an institution!
On November 12th, the Rock was on fire. The cause has not been determined, but it’s believed that the fire started in a pile of pine needles and leaves behind the building. Indications are that the fire climbed up the side of the building, and into the kitchen and attic. “We got a call at 1:30 a.m., from the fire chief,” Diane recalled. “As we’re driving (to the scene), I turned the corner and saw the fire trucks. You know, your heart just sinks. After the fire, I called one of my employees on her cell phone at about 3a .m. Then she texted a message to all our employees –and two of them showed up there an hour later! And then we all met on Friday, (Nov. 13th). I told my employees that we were going to re-do the restaurant, and that we’d be re-opening; and I told them they still had a job.” In fact, the employees helped a little with the clean up. (It’s estimated that The Rock on Fuller Road will be repaired and re-open within six months.)
“At noon, on Tuesday, December 1st, we found out that we could lease this place (the old Courtside Bar and Grill)! Howard Schindler (the plaza’s landlord) was amazing!” Diane said with gratitude in her voice. “Wednesday and Thursday, all the employees showed up, and we worked non-stop to get ready. They’re an amazing group! The Environmental Health Department was amazing! They came out and did their inspection and everything went through. Kamps Propane, AT&T, PG&E – everybody just came together! And Geno Powell, my kitchen manager, worked with Brian Johnson of Sysco (our food supplier) on all the little details.” Opening day at their new, temporary “Courtside” location “went really, really good!” Diane exclaimed. “I can’t believe how many people came! I was really happy to see all the support that we got from the community! There’s been a lot of hugs and a lot of people wishing us well.”
People flocked to the opening of The Rock’s temporary location! From left to right are: Gerry Emerson, Becky Halvorsen, Albert Desrosiers, his spouse, Babs Desrosiers, Shirley Vierth and Larry Asquith (all residents of Twain Harte). Says Mr. Emerson, “It’s serendipity to have a place available, on short notice, where Jim and Diane can rise again from the ashes, like the Phoenix!”
This reporter noticed that Jim and Diane had installed a very aesthetic electric fireplace, and re-hung some of the color photographs that were salvaged from their Fuller Road location. “The girls, actually, were so good at trying to recreate The Rock as best we could, here! They did a good job! Some old pictures we have; they’re going to frame them. I mean, they’re a little bit charred; but you can still see ‘em.” Diane said. The Rock is open at 7 a.m., daily, for breakfast and remains open for lunch and dinner; until 8 p.m. (Sunday-Thursday), and ‘till 9 p.m. (Friday and Saturday). Beer is poured Friday through Monday, using Diane’s catering license, while they wait for a wider-ranging liquor license to be issued for their temporary “Courtside” location. But readers should be assured: even in their temporary location, it’s the same great food; the same great service!
One final message from Diane: “I would just like to say ‘Thank you’! It’s great to live in this community! I should say, too, that KVML (Clarke Broadcasting), The Union Democrat and The Sierra Mountain Times have been really nice, letting people know where we’re at, and what we’re doing. We appreciate all the help”. Diane and Jim are also very grateful to the California Department of Forestry (CDF), and all the firefighters who responded to their fire. Drive down Fuller Road and you might still see a sign out front that says, “Thank you firefighters, for saving The Rock!”
