WISTARIA VISITORS MAP

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 17, 2024 


A GREAT PLACE TO EAT WHEN VISITING SIERRA MADRE 
:

MARY'S MARKET

SOUNDS OF THE FESTIVAL

MUSIC AT THE VINE

HARPIST RON LONGO

9:00 - 12:00

KERSTING COURT

11:00 - 1:00 RICHARD BELLIKOFF

1:00 - 3:00 STEVE CLOER & USC JAZZ 
BAND TRIO

3:00 - 5:00 THE JOHN TIRABASSO YOUTH 
JAZZ ENSEMBLE

 MUIR HIGH SHOOL

 MEMORIAL PARK BANDSHELL

11:00 - 12:00 PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL 
JAZZ BAND

12:00 - 1:00 PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL 
ORCHESTRA

 DR. ANNE RARDIN, DIRECTOR

1:00 - 3:00 ZOE AND BAT SCAT LOCO


Mary's Market is one of the town's favorite eateries but if you are not familiar with the 
town, you might not find it. It is located in the Canyon on Woodland Dr. Your best 
bet is to use your GPS to geth there. The only signs directing visitors to the eatery are 
stones painted with its name and an arrow placed on street corners in the Canyon. Similar 
painted stones can be found on lawns throughout Sierra Madre as a testament to the local 
support for this institution.

On the menu is quintessential American fare that feels right at home in a spot like this: 
waffles and bacon, sandwiches of many varieties, lox and bagels, eggs Benedict with salmon, 
and a display case of fresh pastries. In staying true to the original incarnation of Mary’s 
Market as a grocer, there’s still a fridge of cold drinks and an assortment of candy and 
snacks for sale. The editor of this newspaper chooses their Chicken Salad Sandwich as the 
best "in the world",

In 1922, Mary’s Market opened as Spartan’s Meat and Grocery, serving the Canyon under 
that name for four decades until Irish-born Mary Perkins bought the business in 1966. 
Perkins, who was born in County Tipperary, moved to Sierra Madre with her family in 
1936. After acquiring the store, she became known to locals as the “Mother of the Canyon” 
due to her generosity; hippies who made their way through the Canyon and up to 
the market for food and beer often left without paying a cent. Speaking with a local paper 
about her dedication to feeding people who had no money to pay, Perkins said: “That’s 
what you’re supposed to do. When people are hungry, you’re supposed to feed them. Even 
if they can’t pay.” Like the familiar faces working at many community hubs, Perkins developed 
connections with her patronage, asking them how their families were doing when 
they stopped by for a bite. 

Perkins retired in 1992, making the announcement on a homemade sign she hung on the 
door of the market. The market closed its doors for two years until local Sierra Madre resident 
John Sanford bought it. Under his leadership, children living in Sierra Madre helped 
out at Mary’s Market, including 10-year-old Erin Hastings, Perkins’ great-granddaughter.

The business has changed hands multiple times throughout the decades, while customers 
began regularly paying for their meals. Other than some minor interior tweaks, including 
the addition of a counter and swivel stools courtesy of the film Drowning Mona, which 
was shot at the market, little has changed in the intervening century. Mary’s current co-
owners, Morrison and Jenny Kay, bought the market in 2017 after being longtime employees. 
They say that the best part about working there is being a part of the Canyon, which 
they agree is “magical.” “Some of our customers feel like family to us after all these years,” 
says Morrison.

Mary’s Market is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com